Since Wednesday’s ‘Committee Stage’ debate on Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Naturalisation of Minors Born in Ireland) Bill 2018. Ivana Bacik's, Labour Bill is one step closer to granting certainty for children born in Ireland to non-national parents. Helen McEntee has said she will arrange a meeting for Senator Bacik with officials before Christmas, prior to the return of the Bill for adjourned ‘Committee Stage’ debate early in 2021.
I would like to sincerely thank everyone for their support in helping to bring the Bill to this point. We are not there yet but most certainly on the way. Senator Bacik is very happy with yesterday's outcome. Keep signing and sharing the ‘Born here Belong here’ petition so we can continue to show the public’s support for birthright citizenship.
If you would like to see more about this Bill check out the link below https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/2018/124/eng/initiated/b12418s.pdf
To: Senators and TD's
Born Here Belong Here
Support Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Naturalisation of Minors Born in Ireland) Bill 2018
Why is this important?
The mental stress and burden faced by undocumented children, the fear of deportation and stigma associated with not being considered a citizen and the difficulties faced when accessing supports that other children take for granted, can be taken away by a minor change to an unkind and unjust amendment to our constitution that was introduced in 2004.
The Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Naturalisation of Minors Born in Ireland) Bill would provide a pathway to citizenship for children who are currently facing deportation, despite having been born in Ireland and resident here all their lives.
The 27th Amendment to the Constitution, which passed in 2004, removed the automatic right to citizenship upon birth. Once it was passed, children born in Ireland lost the constitutional right to citizenship on birth; the amendment gives the Oireachtas power to legislate for routes to citizenship and naturalisation instead. Following the referendum, the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2004 was passed which effectively removed any accessible route to citizenship for children born in Ireland. As a result, Irish citizenship law is now based on blood ties, not birthright.
We do not need another referendum to reverse this. The 2004 amendment gave the Oireachtas the power to legislate for more generous pathways to citizenship.
The Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Naturalisation of Minors Born in Ireland) Bill 2018 would provide a pathway to citizenship for children born in Ireland.
It was passed through Second Stage by a majority of Senators on 21 November 2018; Senators from Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Green Party supported it, although Fine Gael opposed it.
The Bill is being brought back before the Seanad for ‘Committee Stage’ on Wednesday 2nd of December next.
Please contact your local Senator and TD's to say that you believe that Children born here should belong here.