Filipino nurses call for referendum No vote

FILIPINO nurses came out strongly yesterday against the citizenship referendum, saying it would turn their future children into second-class citizens.

Spokesmen for the estimated 3,500 Filipino nurses working in the health service said if the referendum was carried it would impact on Filipino nurses deciding whether to come and stay here.

"Some of the families will move out of the country and go to Australia and UK," said Bernard Uy of the League of Filipino Nurses. "Those who are being recruited would, if they knew there was a new law that would affect their families, give up going to Ireland and go to the US or Australia."

Speaking at the launch of Voices for a No Vote, representing 45 groups, Mr Uy said the referendum was simply a matter of discrimination and racism.

"This is a big blow to the Filipino community. This referendum not only concerns the children but the whole family who have worked hard here in Ireland. If the referendum is passed our children will be considered as second-class citizens."

Spokesman Dale Belino said 235 children were born to Filipino women in Ireland last year.

"If this citizenship referendum is passed, any children they will have in the future will be denied equal status at birth and the benefits that come with citizenship.

"It seems to us that our children have done nothing to deserve this, and yet it is they who are being deprived of their rights." Voices for a No Vote represents 45 groups, including those working with asylum seekers, children, migrants and women as well as human rights groups, trade unions and church organisations.

Owen Keenan of Barnardos, representing the Children's Rights Alliance, said they were deeply concerned at the implications for children.

"We are looking at a potential weakening of Ireland's protection of the rights of children and the creation of two classes of children," he said.

He said that contrary to the Government's National Children's Strategy no child impact assessment had been carried out regarding the impact of the referendum.

Trade unionist Inez McCormack said she was shocked at how lightly and arrogantly the Government was willing to change the Good Friday Agreement which enshrined the constitutional right to citizenship based on birth.

Ms McCormack, who represents Filipino nurses in the North, said it was a disgrace that their rights were being affected given that the health services could not function without them.