Political parties in the North have accused the Government of breaching the Belfast Agreement by "unilaterally" calling the citizenship referendum without consulting them, writes Gerry Moriarty, Northern Editor
The SDLP has demanded an immediate meeting with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, to discuss the issue, and senior party negotiator Dr Seán Farren has urged the Government to at least defer the referendum.
The SDLP and Sinn Féin, and the DUP from a different perspective, yesterday complained that the Government was adopting an "à la carte" approach to the Belfast Agreement and should have conferred with the Northern parties before calling the referendum.
A Department of Justice spokesman yesterday insisted that the referendum was a totally separate matter to the six-year-old Good Friday accord and that the referendum was simply designed to correct an anomaly in the Constitution.
This has failed to satisfy Northern politicians, however. Former SDLP minister, Dr Farren, said that to amend the 1998 provision in the Constitution conferring automatic citizenship on all children born on the island of Ireland was to interfere with the agreement.
He said the amendment to Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution in 1998, which took place in the context of the agreement, conferred this automatic right. Any amendment to that provision should involve consultation with the Northern parties as it was an all-Ireland agreement.
"I feel the June referendum should at least be postponed because this is a profound matter as far as we are concerned. This isn't just about Irish citizenship; it affects the Good Friday agreement in a significant way. We should have been consulted," said Dr Farren.
The Sinn Féin president, Mr Gerry Adams, described the referendum as "bogus and racist" and said it would have "negative consequences for Irish society and the Good Friday agreement".
A party spokesman added: "It is completely unacceptable that the Government should take it upon itself to make unilateral changes to the Good Friday agreement."
Sinn Féin did not accept the "excuses" for the referendum. "This sends out the wrong message to unionists and the British government. Sinn Féin will strenuously oppose any moves to make unilateral changes to the agreement, from whatever source," he added. The DUP, which has been arguing for radical alterations to the agreement, said the Government's action in calling the referendum proved conclusively that the agreement was not carved in stone.
DUP deputy leader Mr Peter Robinson said the Government in light of its "unilateral" action shouldn't act surprised when others, such as his party, wanted sweeping changes to the agreement. The Government was clearly in breach of its requirement to consult with all parties when any changes to the Belfast Agreement were proposed, he said.