Madam, - It is always nice when one can be helpful, so here goes.
You report (August 7th) that a group has been formed which is worried about rejected asylum-seekers and illegal immigrants being deported with their Irish-born children.
One must begin by reminding them and everyone else that the only difference between the situation of these deported families and such families deported from any other EU state is that the child in this case has a citizenship it would have got in no other EU state but Ireland. Therefore, all worries should be dissolved as follows.
Firstly, at the earliest opportunity, have a referendum to change Article 2 of the Constitution. We recently sent a suggested wording to the Department.
Secondly, as regards those families to be deported with children who already have citizenship, revoke that citizenship. They will then be in the exact same position as if they were being deported from France, Britain, etc.
Article 9 of our Constitution allows for loss of citizenship. This has been suggested by at least two politicians previously, though in different contexts: the late John Kelly, TD, Minister and professor of law was one; more recently, Jim O'Keeffe, TD (Fine Gael) was another.
There you are; problem solved. - Yours, etc.,
ÁINE NÍ CHONÁILL, Immigration Control Platform, Dublin 2.