European Court rules in favour of Chinese woman

The European Court of Justice has ruled in favour of a Chinese woman seeking residency rights in Britain on the grounds that her child was born on the island of Ireland.

The court acknowledged today that Man Levette Chen deliberately gave birth in Belfast four years ago to secure an Irish passport for her child and associated residency rights in any EU country.

The British Home Office had refused Ms Chen permission to reside in Britain, claiming her daughter's residency rights only applied to dependent relatives.

However, the European Court of Justice ruled today that both mother and daughter had the right to residency.

The Chen case was used by the Irish Government earlier this year to support its referendum on citizenship rights.

The Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition said it showed that Ireland's citizenship laws were being abused by foreigners to gain entry to the EU.

Ms Chen had taken advantage of the system because she and her husband already had a son and could not have another child in their own country under China's "one-child" policy.