*Ø* Blogmanac | Ireland - referendum to be held to restrict citizenship

"The Government is preparing to hold a constitutional referendum in June to remove the automatic right to Irish citizenship from the Irish-born children of non-nationals.

"Voters will be asked to empower the Government to restrict citizenship rights in what the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, described last night as a measure to remove an incentive for foreign mothers to give birth in Irish hospitals.

"The move comes after several years of Government concern over the growing number of foreign women presenting late in their pregnancies to give birth in Ireland ...

"Mr McDowell characterised the initiative as an effort to prevent 'citizenship tourism'.

"He said the Republic was the only EU member to grant an automatic citizenship right and, therefore, an EU passport."

Full text at the Irish Times