EIRE REPUBLIC LAW PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

Grey River Argus, 17 December 1948, Page 5

EIRE REPUBLIC LAW PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

Taking Effect on > Easter Rising Anniversary DUBLIN, Dec. 15 The Senate of Eire has passed without either amendment or op- , position the Republic of Ireland Bill which severs the links which bound Eire to the British Crown. ine uni will possioiy Become law on April 24 next which is the anniversary of the Irish rising of 1916, Eire Residents in Britain and Conscription DUBLIN, Dec. 15 The Prime Minister, Mr John Costello, replying to an Opposition memoer, told the Dail Eireann that Eire has protested against Irishmen being Called up for service in the British armed forces. . . Mr Costello said the British Government had hitherto regarded Irish citizens as British subjects and Irishmen resident in Great Britain were liable since 1939 to conscription as British subjects. The position now was that under the National Service Act. Irishmen between the ages of 18 and 26, who had been resident in Great Britain for not less than two years, might be called up for service in the British armed forces. The Prime Minister pointed out that a new situation would arise on January 1, 1949, when, the British Nationality Act came into force. Irish citizens under the Act would no longer be British subjects under the law of Britain. Mr Costello said that he did not suppose the British Government would in future seek to impose compulsory military obligations on Irish citizens resident in Great Britain, other than those who had voluntarily chosen the status of British subjects or United Kingdom citizenship under the new Act. Any Irishmen called up who did not wish to serve in the British forces could return to Ireland, added Mr Costello. British View LONDON, Dec. 15 In the House of Lords, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Jowitt defended the decision of the British Government not to regard Eire citizens as aliens, Lord Jowitt said if they had been they would all have to be expelled from the British civil service, the army and the forces generally. “What on earth should we gain from that?” he asked.