Referendum
Citizenship Referendum, June 11th 2004
On June 11th, 2004 the Referendum on Citizenship was passed. I was very much against the proposed change to our citizenship laws. Because of this, I set up a campaign group, Lawyers Against the Amendment, with other legal collegues. We took a prominent role in the referendum debate. We argued that the referendum was a short-sighted and small-minded proposal, seeking to introduce a new divide in Irish society, a divide between children.
Citizenship based on the principle of ‘jus soli’, had served us well, just as it has served the United States and Canada well. We argued also that the Government was playing fast and loose with the Constitution and that we should not allow the Government abuse Bunreacht na hÉireann in the interests of political expediency. Despite our campaign, the Referendum was passed, but I am proud of the principled stand we took.
Pictured: NO to the Citizenship Referendum, 2004
