FF’s lowest tactic yet: spreading fear and confusion on immigration

SO. This referendum on citizenship. Its only purpose is to bring us into line with every other European country, right?

Tue, 20 Apr, 2004 - 01:00

Fergus Finlay is a former political activist and adviser to three governments, the former head of the children's charity Barnardos, a writer and a broadcaster.

And that's because Europe wants a common set of rules about citizenship, okay? And in the process, we're going to do away with an abuse that has hundreds of people claiming Irish citizenship who have no connection with the country apart from an accident of birth, isn't that it? And we need to do that because the maternity hospitals are being over-run by all these non-nationals, and the senior staff of the hospitals have pleaded with the Government to change the law? And the whole issue has nothing to do with immigration, right? There's no racist intent behind it, and no possibility of a racist outcome, isn't that clear?

No. No. No. No. No. They're the answers to all those questions.