Unveiling the Ideological Construction of the 2004 Irish Citizenship Referendum: A Critical Dis- course Analytical Approach

This article offers a critical analysis of the 2004 Irish Citizenship Referendum, which took place in Ireland in June 2004. Specifically, it presents a Critical Discourse Analytical approach to a small number of texts issued by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell throughout 2004 in support of the referendum and the subsequent new legislation. On the basis of the analysis of these pronouncements it focuses on the ideological construction of the referendum by the Irish government. Furthermore, it shows evidence of a strategic ideological manipulation and reframing of events taking place throughout the texts, by resorting to the recurrent use of specific discursive strategies. The demonisation of ‘non-national ’ pregnant mothers and the polarisation of immigrants into two distinct categories of good deserving and bad undeserving ones emerge with clear evidence from the analysed texts. Hence, the impact of McDowell's pronouncements in the reproduction and reinforcement of popular racism is stressed. Moreover, the referendum is further contextualised within a broader scenario, in which it is seen to add another step towards the completion of ‘Fortress Europe ’ and the selective exclusion of migrants from the walls of our rich world