The Government has decided to hold a referendum on the rights to Irish citizenship of children born here to foreign nationals. The poll will seek to have the entitlement to citizenship decided by law.
Since the ratification of the Good Friday Agreement anyone born on the island of Ireland is currently entitled to citizenship.
In tandem with the proposed constitutional change, the Government will introduce legislation to restrict the right to citizenship of Irish born children whose parents are non-nationals to those of one parent has been legally resident here for a substantial period.
The legislation will also end the system of investment based naturalisation which led to allegations of passports for sale.
Justice Minister Michael McDowell said this evening he had briefed the main Opposition parties and that the Government had yet to decide on a date. He confirmed that 11 June - the day of the local and European elections - remained an option.
