BOOTING OUT ERIC WAS WHAT WE VOTED FOR
AT least nine-year-old Eric Zhi Ying Mei Xue from Bray knows exactly who are to blame for the terrible predicament he’s in right now.
Back in June, 2004, well before Eric ever existed, 1,427,520 people in this country voted to change the Constitution so that children born on the island of Ireland would not get automatic citizenship unless one of their parents was already Irish.
The proposal to change the Constitution was enthusiastically supported by then justice minister Michael McDowell and his colleagues in the Fianna Fáil/PD coalition, including taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Enda Kenny and Fine Gael in opposition were also delighted.
It was a hugely popular amendment, with almost 80% of voters in favour. The lack of generosity reflected in that referendum may now result in Eric being dumped in China, where his mother came from originally.
Eric was born and reared in Ireland and, according to his school principal, he’s as Irish as Irish could be. This is his only home.
Yet the Department of Justice and Equality want him gone.
The 2004 referendum was the product of political stinginess, the bitter fruit of a meanness of spirit.
And the questions is – surely banishing Eric is not what all those people voted for?