The Irish Congress of Trade Unions last night called for the citizenship referendum to be deferred.
ICTU general secretary Mr David Begg said: "Congress feels very strongly that immigration, which raises emotional responses in the electorate, demands a measured and calm debate.
"Rushing to deal unilaterally with one aspect only adds to the incoherence that exists because of the lack of a comprehensive national policy."
A statement from ICTU said it wanted the poll postponed so the All-Party Committee on the Constitution could consider the issues involved. "Our constitution should only be amended after careful consideration and an informed public debate."
Congress supported "the proposal to regularise Irish citizen children and their non-national parents who were here before last year's Supreme Court judgment. We are almost unique in not having any type of regularisation... The long-awaited Immigration and Residency Bill should be delivered now as part of a comprehensive immigration policy."