Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

There is a distinction. Perhaps it is a distinction without a difference, but it is there. I believe that Senator Mansergh is right and that there was a case that citizenship was not accorded to all the nationals of many states in Europe. It was a relatively late development that it became available to everyone in a society. I do not know and do not wish to speculate, but there were cantons in Switzerland in which women were denied the vote. However, they were definitely Swiss nationals. I do not know how they could be citizens and not entitled to a vote.