§ Major KELLEYasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Irish Free State Constitution, as drafted, fails to provide that a British 1936W subject from Yorkshire, or elsewhere in England, becoming domiciled in Southern Ireland shall automatically enjoy full citizenship in the Free State; and whether he is prepared to intimate that, failing such recognition of common citizenship, all Irishmen coming to Yorkshire or elsewhere in England will have to register under the Aliens Act?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe Constitution of the Irish Free State, as drafted, does not purport to determine the future acquisition of citizenship in the Free State. It only defines who will be Irish Free State citizens at the date when the Constitution comes in operation. Any British subject from Yorkshire or elsewhere in England, if domiciled in the Free State at that date, will be entitled to Free State citizenship if he himself or either of his parents were born in Ireland, or if at that date he has been domiciled in the area of the Free State for seven years. The acquisition of citizenship after the Constitution comes into operation will depend upon further legislation by the Irish Free State. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative; but, of course, Parliament can at any time institute any discrimination it may think desirable, though such discrimination would not necessarily take the form of requiring Irishmen to register under the Aliens Act.