The masters of two of Ireland's largest maternity hospitals have formally denied that they sought a legislative or constitutional changes in relation to the status of non-nationals.
The masters of the Rotunda and Coombe hospitals were reacting to claims from the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, that they had "pleaded" with him to change the law on citizenship status.
Last night they issued a formal statement contradicting the Minister.
The controversy began earlier this week, when the Master of the Coombe hospital, Dr Seán Daly, told The Irish Times that he felt he and the other masters were being used as "scapegoats" by the Government in its argument for a referendum to limit citizenship rights to children born in Ireland to non-nationals.
Mr McDowell had been citing figures relating to a major rise in the number of non-nationals giving birth in Irish hospitals and the concerns of hospital management about the health and safety problems raised by this.
On Thursday morning, Mr McDowell said he had met the masters in his office to discuss the issue.
"They pleaded with me to do something to change the law in relation to this. They didn't ask for additional resources, they were asking me to change the law. So I'm a bit surprised if it is being suggested that that is not the request that was being made."
Last night Dr Daly and Dr Michael Geary of the Rotunda hospital issued a joint statement saying that they had been invited by officials from the Department of Justice to attend a meeting with the Minister on October 17th, 2002.
At the meeting the two masters highlighted the need for resources and a co-ordinated Government response to the issue of the rising number of non-national women presenting at maternity hospitals.
They say that the Minister also highlighted to them three options open to the Government, including the possibility of a referendum.
"Neither Dr Daly or Dr Geary expressed an opinion as to the three options outlined by the Minister and at no time pleaded for a referendum," according to the statement.
Last night, in response to the doctors' statement, a spokeswoman for Mr McDowell, said: "The meeting was requested by the Department of Health on behalf of the masters," she said.
She said the Minister "agrees" with comments made by Dr Geary on RTÉ on Thursday when he said "the masters highlighted the issues and when they said something had to be done".
"The Minister never implied he is taking action at the behest of the masters of the hospitals. There are far larger considerations."