Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

Have we reached the nadir of political debate? Given what the Minister knows, how can he label as he chooses anyone who dares to disagree with him? There are also those of us with other definitions and values regarding Irish citizenship who would like to contribute to the debate as to how we progress collectively as a nation.

The demography of Irish society, due to recent prosperity, is changing dramatically and we no longer have a replacement birth rate. My personal experience of being born in the United States is a good example as to how we might develop as a society. The experience of the United States as a melting pot and a society which welcomed — with different levels of success, it must be admitted — different cultures and collectively became a stronger country, particularly economically, is a model which we should try to put in place in this country. Otherwise, we will put in place a society with dual membership and, as a result, will also have a dual economy where those who are not Irish citizens will service those parts of the economy not deemed attractive to those defined, as any new law is likely to, as proper Irish citizens.

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