25 May 2004

PRESS RELEASE

Human Rights Commission's response to citizenship referendum welcomed by Greens

The Green Party today welcomed the response from the Irish Human Rights Commission to the upcoming referendum on citizenship.

Green Party Justice spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe said that, "The Irish Human Rights Commission shares concerns about the citizenship referendum already highlighted by the Green Party, namely that the referendum

- should have been referred to the All-Party Committee on the Constitution
- could create second-class citizenship for some Irish children
- is not backed up by adequate statistics, and
- impacts on the Good Friday Agreement

We believe that the proposed amendment is a rushed and flawed attempt to curtail the constitutional rights of Irish citizens," concluded Deputy Cuffe.