Pat Rabbitte US consultants claim
The charge was made in the Dáil this afternoon by Labour Party leader, Pat Rabbitte.
Mr Rabbitte claimed consultants brought in by Fianna Fáil from the United States advised that race was 17 points ahead of health as an issue of concern to voters.
Mr Rabitte alleged that this was the reason the Government had announced it was to hold a referendum restricting citizenship rights for children born here to non-national parents.
However, a Fianna Fáil spokesperson said the claim was 'absolute lies, and another complete Rabbitte invention - not for the first time'.
The spokesperson added that the proposal had been flagged in the Programme for Government in 2002.
