John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

I wish to speak in favour of the motion put forward by the Green Party, Fine Gael and the Labour Party, which seeks to postpone the referendum to facilitate a period of reflection and consultation so that we can collectively arrive at a sensible solution to this complex and sensitive issue. As practising politicians, we know how difficult and potentially divisive this issue could become, for the question of citizenship quickly becomes a question of nationality and of race. Those who seek to rush this issue for perceived electoral gain are opportunistic, irresponsible and cynical. Practically every week Members of this House are confronted by latent racism and we know how easy it would be to exploit the obvious tensions that exist. The responsible politician would always seek to calm the situation, to reason with individuals who claim for example that the asylum seekers are getting local authority houses, that there is discrimination against ordinary Irish people or that the blacks are getting cars and the Irish people are getting nothing.

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