Non-national parents - McDowell scheme belies tough image

THE hard-hearted image of Justice Minister Michael McDowell is belied by today’s report on the outcome of an effective amnesty for the non-national parents of Irish children.

Under a one-off scheme introduced by the minister to deal with a huge backlog, more than 11,000 people were told they could remain in the State. To date, only 165 applicants have been refused and none deported.

Predictably, the situation has changed dramatically since the Citizenship Referendum introduced by the same Minister became law on January 1. Bringing down the guillotine on subsequent applications, four out of five people voted to withdraw automatic rights to citizenship for babies born in Ireland who do not have at least one Irish parent.