The Green Party has accused the Government of playing the "race card" for electoral gains in upcoming citizenship referendum.
Launching its campaign for a No vote in the June 11th vote this morning, the party said a vote against the constitutional change would protect the Belfast Agreement and recognise the positive contribution made by immigrants to Irish society.
The party said it believed the Government's "inexplicable haste" was playing into the hands of those who are trying to heighten tension and play the race card before the European and local elections.
Green Party MEP Ms Patricia McKenna said: "At a time of crisis in the 'peace process' and challenges to the integrity of the Good Friday Agreement by the Democratic Unionist Party and others, the Government is sending a dangerous signal by unilaterally altering the Agreement without consultation or agreement with the parties who negotiated it in 1998.
"The Chen case provides further reason for considered and informed public debate. Instead, the Minister has used the case to defend his hasty decision to hold the Referendum on the date of the elections. It is clear that the Referendum should not take place until the European Court of Justice has made a final ruling and all the implications have been fully explored."
"Instead, the Government parties will now exploit the new uncertainties and contested interpretations by further politicising profound questions of citizenship and the integrity of our Constitution."
Ms McKenna criticised changes to the Referendum Commission, which mean it no longer has a role in outlining the arguments for and against referendum proposals.
The so-called McKenna judgment in the Supreme Court case taken by the MEP as an objection to the government's funding of a Yes campaign in the divorce referendum, led to the setting up of the Referendum Commission.
Cllr Mary White, the Green Party deputy leader said the party was convinced the Government's decision to run the referendum in parallel with the election was "a cynical attempt to politicise a sensitive debate about immigration, citizenship and the Constitution.
"Already, the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism has reported a rise in racist incidents, including verbal assaults on young pregnant women," Ms White said.