Batt O'Keeffe (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The referendum is all about bringing Ireland into line with EU citizenship law. Let us take Australia as an example. There, a child born to parents who are in the country illegally has no claim to citizenship. The same applies in the United Kingdom, in France and Germany. For some strange reason we do not hear people complain that these countries are racist because of their laws. How, therefore, can one accuse Ireland of racism in following suit and ensuring that the integrity of the Irish passport and citizenship remains intact.

This referendum means this Government is not afraid to make the tough decisions necessary to deal with problems faced by society. It will not shy away from this one. Asylum seekers who have come to Ireland up to now have been treated with respect and care by our health, community and social services and by the people in the communities into which they have been integrated. I would hate it if these facts were forgotten in this debate.

It is important for us to recognise that it is the duty of Government to regulate and control immigration. Failure to do so would lead to racial tension. It is important to dwell on that fact for a while. Whether we like it or not, significant numbers of immigrants have attended our hospitals to seek maternity services.

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