Opposition seeks compassionate response to asylum ruling

Opposition politicians have called on the Government to show compassion to the thousands of asylum-seekers facing deportation following a Supreme Court ruling this morning.

The court rejected an appeal against an earlier High Court ruling which said the parents of children born in Ireland do not have an automatic right to remain in the country to look after those children.

Under the Irish constitution, children born in the State gain automatic citizenship and it had been common practice to grant their parents residency rights to prevent breaking up families.

However, the Government has been seeking to crack down on this situation due to the abuse of the process by some asylum-seekers who deliberately come to Ireland while pregnant to take advantage of the citizenship and residency rules.

Responding to today's ruling, Labour Party spokesman Joe Costello said the Government should bring forward legislation to clarify the rights of children and immigrants.

Green Party spokesman Ciaran Cuffe, meanwhile, said the ruling should not be enacted retrospectively.

"We're not unhappy with the judgement, but we do feel that an amnesty is necessary for the non-national parents of Irish citizens who are in the country already," he said.

Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins, meanwhile, urged the Government to think of the plight of Irish emigrants when enforcing the ruling.

"I believe, in view of the fact that millions of our own people have gone to seek and make new lives abroad, that such compassion and leave to remain should now be given so [those affected by today's judgement] can continue to make new lives," he said.