Seanad report: The "racists in the Department of Justice" did not want black people to be Irish citizens, Mr Brendan Ryan (Lab) said.

He had seen in a report in yesterday's edition of The Irish Times that the Department of Justice was demanding that the passports of Irish citizens be handed back by their parents before they were deported.

He wanted to know on what basis a Department, that had landed us with a referendum without proper consultation, had decided to deal in that way with Irish citizens.

"Because they are Irish citizens. We all know that the racists in the Department of Justice don't want black people to be Irish citizens." Mr Ryan said he wanted to know why they could not have a rational debate on the issue of citizenship.

Mr Brian Hayes, Fine Gael leader in the House, stressed that they should not go about changing the Constitution for purely party political ends. The lack of all-party consultation and agreement on this matter was a sign that some politicians wanted to use this issue as a glorified race card in advance of the June elections.

Dr Maurice Hayes (Ind) said it needed to be remembered that the people in Northern Ireland had a huge interest in the referendum proposal, which was integral to the Good Friday agreement. It was important that whatever consultations took place. or structure devised, would allow for an input by the relevant parties in Northern Ireland.

The leader of the House, Mrs O'Rourke, said the issue of the referendum was a "strong" one. Her fear remained that it would become the issue rather than the local and European elections.