The Labour Party's annual conference continues in Dublin today, with delegates making vitriolic attacks on the Governments' plans for a citizenship referendum in June.
The party's Dubloin MEP, Mr Prionsias De Rossa, described the referendum as a "tawdry election stunt", while party president Mr Michael D. Higgins claimed it was a "shameful and disgraceful" proposal.
"The consequences of this will be chaotic," Mr Higgins said. "The worst thing is his clear intention to exploit the politics of fear."
Speaking at a meeting last night, the party leader Mr Pat Rabbitte accused the Government of creating "bogus" reasons for holding a referendum to restrict Irish citizenship.
"We can afford to share our wealth and prosperity with people who are poorer, and we should. But we are also entitled, indeed obliged, to protect ourselves from exploitation and abuse," he said.
"For both of those reasons, Ireland needs an immigration policy. It must be inclusive, decent, and humane. It must be colour blind. It must take account of Ireland's needs, including the needs of Ireland's labour market.
"We cannot afford to become a hiding place for anyone who wants to come here for whatever reason. We cannot expect to be able to employ everyone who wants to come.
"But we cannot afford to turn our backs on people who have the skills, the talent, and the hunger to make a better life for themselves here either," he told a joint meeting of Labour's National Executive and Parliamentary Party.
Today's schedule includes speeches by candidates from throughout the country in the forthcoming European Parliament and local elections, while a number of workshops are being held this afternoon.
The former British Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, will also appear and the leaders' address by Mr Rabbitte will end proceedings this evening.