Labour: Citizenship referendum 'not backed up by stats'

The Labour party has said the Government had not produced statistics to back up its arguments in favour of the upcoming citizenship referendum.

Labour European election candidate in the Dublin constituency, Ivana Bacik, commented that the change is flawed, and will create a divided Irish society, particularly among children.

The party is advocating a ‘just so’ approach, with each person receiving a passport based on where they were born.

The Minister for Social and Family Affairs countered that the facts necessitate a change in our laws.

Mary Coughlan stated that instances of heavily pregnant women travelling to Ireland to circumvent EU citizenship laws were well-known, and that they were putting themselves and their children at risk.