Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the decision of the Children's Rights Alliance to oppose the Government's citizenship referendum proposal on the grounds that its passage would be a regressive step for children's rights and not in the best interests of children. [16340/04]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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It is a matter for groups such as the Children's Rights Alliance to determine their own course of action with regard to the forthcoming referendum. I do not share its view that the referendum proposal, to give to the Oireachtas a power to determine in what circumstances a right to Irish citizenship will automatically arise from birth of a person in Ireland to non-national parents, is in any way a step backwards for children's rights or that it is not in the best interests of children. The details of my views are as indicated in my reply to Priority Question No. 39.