Citizenship rights referendum to be held with elections in June

THE Government yesterday discarded the concerns of a wide range of human rights, racism and refugee groups and announced it would hold the constitutional referendum on citizenship rights together with local and European elections.

Announcing the June 11 date in the Dáil yesterday, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern denied the decision would make for a divisive debate on the matter.

"I do not believe that an extremely reasonable proposal is transformed into a racist proposal purely by holding it on the same day as an election," he said.