Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Many people feel abused because they cannot get various rights, such as housing and medical services, as a result of Government policy. They are right to feel abused, aggrieved and angry about the situation in which they find themselves and about the run-down streets and estates, the poor or absent medical services, the missing policing, the petty crime, the heroin and anti-social behaviour. Government candidates are now preparing to tell them that it is all the fault of the non-nationals or aliens, as they used to be called. Faced with the prospect of a drubbing at the voting booths, the Government has decided to say cynically to the people that it is the only one dealing with the immigrants because the others want to open the door wide and let them all in.

Faced with the prospect that the politics of fear can do immense damage and with the reality that we may be about to unleash a racist undertone, to put it no more strongly than that, I must make two points. The Labour Party is prepared to play its part in addressing whatever abuse the Minister can substantiate. The Labour Party is not in favour of an open door policy and it does not believe that everyone who lands in Ireland is entitled to receive an Irish passport, whether in the Shelbourne Hotel or in the Rotunda Hospital. The Labour Party is willing to play a constructive role in addressing the issue in the framework envisaged by the All-Party Committee on the Constitution. I do not expect the Minister will accept my offer. That would be to deny the transparent purpose of this referendum being taken at this time.

For all the reasons I have given, from the initial deception of the Dáil by the Taoiseach on 17 February up to yesterday's desertion by the Tánaiste of the previously held Progressive Democrats' position and because any Government that would unnecessarily add to the difficulties already surrounding the Good Friday Agreement does not deserve support, the Labour Party will oppose this referendum.

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