Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

My concern related to the holding of the elections and the referendum on the same date and I do not resile from that. I have no difficulties with the timing of the referendum because it is my view, as was clearly expressed this morning by the Taoiseach, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and others, that this problem has been allowed to fester for far too long and it is time we confronted it.

Irish citizenship is about much more than entitlement to an Irish passport, it is a badge of identity, a statement to the world of who we are, the essence of our sovereignty as a nation. Is it not eminently reasonable, then, that to become an Irish citizen a person should have a much greater connection with this country than simply being born here? If a person has no connection with this country other than being born here, is it right that he should be identified to the world as a citizen of Ireland? Is Irish citizenship so paltry, trifling and inconsequential? No other country in the EU feels that way about its citizenship.

Cuireadh an díospóireacht ar athló.

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