Changes

Local and European elections took place in June 2004 and saw gains for opposition parties. The election also featured a referendum on citizenship. Until that time, Ireland had granted citizenship on the basis of birth on Irish soil. Concerns about security and social welfare abuse prompted the government to seek to bring citizenship laws in line with the more restrictive policies prevalent in the rest of Europe, and the 2004 referendum measure passed by a wide majority. Now, persons with non-Irish parents can acquire Irish citizenship at birth only if at least one parent has been resident in Ireland for three years preceding the birth.

Local and European elections took place in June 2004 and saw gains for opposition parties. The election also featured a referendum on citizenship. Until that time, Ireland had granted citizenship on the basis of birth on Irish soil. Concerns about security and social welfare abuse prompted the government to seek to bring citizenship laws in line with the more restrictive policies prevalent in the rest of Europe, and the 2004 referendum measure passed by a wide majority. Now, persons with non-Irish parents can acquire Irish citizenship at birth only if at least one parent has been resident in Ireland for three years preceding the birth.

In 1993, [[homosexual]]s were given the right to engage in their [[homosexual act|activities]] freely in the country, without fear of legal action. However, the deeply conservative [[Catholic]] roots of the country have produced a strong cultural deterrent to homosexuality, so that impressionable children are not exposed to perversity.

In 1993, [[homosexual]]s were given the right to engage in their [[homosexual act|activities]] freely in the country, without fear of legal action. However, some of the more [[Catholic]] members of the country are against [[homosexuality]], for fear that it is perversity. Nonetheless, the majority of the population have more or less come to terms with it.

===Political Parties===

===Political Parties===