Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

There is no problem. I welcome the opportunity to express my support for this amendment of the Constitution and the legislation being proposed by my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, and endorsed by the Government. It is important that we debate this issue calmly and reasonably. It is important that we have an informed view of the concept of citizenship and that of membership of a modern nation state. Watching the debate so far, I have seen attempts to suggest that the nationality clause of the Good Friday Agreement has not led to any exploitation or any increased pressure on the health services. As Minister for Health and Children I must state that this is completely erroneous. Those who work in our maternity hospitals — not only the three hospitals in Dublin but those across the country — have explained to me the significant impact of the number of non-national births and the high percentage of female asylum seekers over the age of 16 — as many as 60% — who are pregnant. That has had an effect on our medical services. It is important not to try to pretend this has not happened. It has.

I have visited maternity hospitals and spoken to staff in different disciplines. They are all of the view that many of these people come to Ireland in full knowledge of the fact that giving birth in Ireland would——

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