Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

I want to return to the subject matter of Senator Quinn's Private Members' Bill. It is my intention in the implementing Bill, which I have not yet published, to address the substance of his proposal.

There is an undoubted link between citizenship policy and immigration policy. Our immigration policies have brought many thousands of non-EU nationals to Ireland and they are very welcome here. They see Ireland as a land of opportunity and they are right. They rightly see it as a place where they can contribute to our economy. They see it as a place where they can begin families and bring up their children as Irish citizens and that, after residing here for the requisite period, they can avail of our extremely liberal nationality and citizenship law. This accords the right to apply for citizenship after five years to anybody who resides in Ireland, unlike the position in Germany, France and other countries. They will continue to come and play their part in Irish society. We want them to be able to share in the prosperity they help us to generate. Some will come for a while, earn what they can and then return to build themselves a new life in their home countries. That is legitimate as well. Others come to Ireland as a place where they see themselves building their new life. Either way, we welcome them wholeheartedly and our aim is to facilitate their participation to the fullest extent in Irish society. As a mark of our high regard for those who have come from abroad to establish themselves in, share in and contribute to Irish society, these proposals will entitle their children born here to be Irish citizens by operation of law. At the same time, the Bill will ensure that Irish citizenship is not regarded simply as a passport to a wider Europe, but means something important to those who hold it: a sense of fidelity to the Irish nation and loyalty to the Irish state. I commend this Bill to the House.