This week, Senator Barry Ward speaks to Senator Ivana Bacik (Labour – University of Dublin) about her bill to provide a path to citizenship for children born in Ireland who do not otherwise have a right to citizenship. Barrister-at-Law and immigration law expert, David Leonard also gives the benefit of his experience in this area and his take on what the Bill’s effect will be on the current immigration and naturalisation system. The Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Naturalisation of Minors Born in Ireland) Bill 2018 was first published in 2018 and went through Second Stage in the Seanad on 21 November 2018. It was opposed by the then Government and was re-introduced by Labour senators earlier this year. Committee Stage in the Seanad was taken in Labour private members’ time on 2 December 2020 and the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD, has indicated that she supports the Bill with some modifications. It is anticipated that Committee Stage will resume in 2021 and the passage of the Bill will continue from there.
 
You can read the Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Naturalisation of Minors Born in Ireland) Bill 2018 here: https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/2018/124/eng/initiated/b12418s.pdf

You can read the Seanad debates –
Second Stage (21 November 2018) here: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/2018-11-21/21/

Committee Stage (2 December 2020) here: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/2020-12-02/18/

 
You can follow Senator Ivana Bacik on Twitter @ivanabacik, on Instagram @ivanabacik, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bacikivana, or find out more about her at www.ivanabacik.com.
 
The Irish Legislation Podcast is presented by Senator Barry Ward.

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E-mail barry.ward@oireachtas.ie with any comments or suggestions.