Representatives of the human rights commissions in the Republic and Northern Ireland will hold a joint meeting this month to discuss the proposed citizenship referendum, as opposition grows to the planned June 11th poll.
News of the intervention of the human rights commissions - independent statutory bodies set up under the Belfast Agreement - will add to the growing pressure on the Government not to hold the referendum as planned on June 11th, the same day as the local government and European Parliament elections. The commissions are empowered to advise the governments on how proposals will affect human rights.
The president of the Republic's Human Rights Commission, Dr Maurice Manning, wrote to the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, a fortnight ago expressing concern over the issue, it emerged yesterday.
This followed a meeting of the commission on March 25th at which several members said they feared a referendum could have implications for the Belfast Agreement.
The commission referred the issue to the North's Chief Human Rights Commissioner, Prof Brice Dickson, who agreed to the meeting of the joint committee of the commissions, north and south. This body was not due to meet until June, but has decided to meet earlier because of the speed with which the Government was moving on the issue.
At the weekend the SDLP, Sinn Féin and the DUP joined the Dáil Opposition parties in objecting vehemently to the proposal, albeit for different reasons.
In his letter to Mr McDowell, Dr Manning said he believed there should be consultation with interests in Northern Ireland. The right to Irish citizenship for children born on the island was inserted into the Constitution as part of the Belfast Agreement.
The SDLP, the Labour Party and others argue that the proposal now to restrict citizenship rights of children born to non-nationals may amount to a unilateral alteration to the terms of the deal.
The letter also expressed concern, said Dr Manning yesterday, "about the danger that holding it [a referendum] on the same day as the elections could lead to it being hijacked by racist groups".
This is the same concern expressed by Fine Gael, Labour, the Green Party, Sinn Féin and other Opposition deputies, all of whom fear it will be used by some Government party canvassers to exploit public unease over immigration during the election campaign. They have demanded that the referendum be deferred to allow the Government seek an all-party approach to the issue.
The two human rights commissions have agreed in principle to hold a meeting shortly of their Joint Committee of Representatives, which provides an all-island forum for discussion of human rights issues.
"Clearly on the face of it, it could have implications for the Good Friday agreement," Dr Manning told The Irish Times yesterday.
A Government spokeswoman said yesterday they have not yet received a formal request for a meeting from the SDLP, which said at the weekend that it wanted an immediate meeting with the Taoiseach. Senior SDLP negotiator Mr Sean Farren urged the Government at least to defer the referendum.
The Sinn Féin president, Mr Gerry Adams, said it would "have negative consequences for Irish society and the Good Friday agreement".
The DUP claimed the move was proof that the Belfast Agreement could be changed, as has been sought by the DUP.
The Human Rights Commission's letter to Mr McDowell was sent after the commission's racism sub-committee told a commission meeting on March 25th that it was concerned about what was proposed.
The commission also asked the Minister to give it early sight of the actual legislation and the proposed wording of the referendum. It expects to receive these early this week.
Dr Manning said yesterday that Mr McDowell had "diligently referred all upcoming legislation" of relevance to the commission.