Fine Gael: Fine Gael has called for the Government to postpone the referendum to restrict citizenship rights and refer it to the all-party committee on the Constitution.
Marie O'Halloran
And the party's new justice spokesman, Mr Jim O'Keeffe, called for the carrier liability that applies to airlines to prevent the arrival of illegal immigrants in Ireland, to be applied to the "common area" between Britain and Ireland.
"Women who are heavily pregnant are allowed to board aeroplanes. Can we introduce further restrictions in that regard?" he asked. Mr O'Keeffe said that "while I am sure Mr Michael O'Leary and Mr Willie Walsh will not wish to hear me suggest such a thing, is it not an option provided it can be implemented on an all-island basis."
The Minister for Justice replied that "pregnant women have rights, too".
Party leader Mr Enda Kenny said that if the referendum could not be held during the presidential election because of its contentious nature, then "the same applies equally, if not more so, in the run-up to the local and European elections".
He warned that "past rushed constitutional change has subsequently led to legal quagmire. I warn against future court challenges arising from this constitutional change that have not yet been foreseen."
If the Government was genuine about achieving cross-party discussion and support it should refer the issue to the all-party committee on the Constitution which would "facilitate a referendum, if necessary before the end of the year".
But criticising the Government's lack of "willingness to engage constructively", he said "it is impossible not to interpret the Government's solo run on this issue as anything but a political stroke to shore up votes for Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats in the local and European elections and to divert attention from the real issues of the economy and what is happening outside".
Acknowledging that Article 2 of the Constitution, inserted through the Belfast Agreement, "creates a potential for abuse of Irish citizenship", Mr Kenny indicated support for the measure when he said his party "shares the objective of closing off that potential abuse and is committed to working constructively with the Government and other parties to find the best solution to that problem".
However, the Minister for Justice's "rush to this matter has been reckless and arrogant" and that while the Government "pleads" that its decision to hold the referendum on June 11th "is not a cynical political tactic", its "failure to engage in any meaningful consultation undermines that plea".
Fine Gael's health spokeswoman questioned why the Bill came from "nowhere almost overnight". Ms Olivia Mitchell said there were "so many other immigration issues that have not been resolved.
"Why do we force economic migrants into the soul-destroying and absolutely demoralising asylum-seeking process? After forcing them into this process, they are not allowed work and when they do not work we call them wasters. Why not take time and proceed in a way that will build consensus?" she asked.
