What could an Irish Bill of Right & Obligations look like?

What does it mean to be Irish? It’s hard to use birthplace or bloodlines here because of our 19th century scattering to the winds. That’s also a very old fashioned way of determining nationality. Personally, someone who comes here legally and wishes to subscribe to our broad values can, in my opinion, end up as Irish as I am.
It would certainly help if we had a clear set of duties and entitlements we wish to grant to and expect from our citizens.

With that in mind, I decided to have a first crack at a few clauses of that charter. Feel free to add additions in the comments. 

1. All citizens have the right to freedom of speech, including the right to both offend and be offended. This right does not extend to the deliberate defaming of others through the use of reasonably verified untruths.

2. All citizens have a right to access to healthcare and housing up to a monetary value per individual as decided by the Oireachtas.

3. All citizens have an obligation to seek work commensurate to their needs and capacity, and to pay all taxes levied by the Oireachtas or other bodies authorized by the Oireachtas.

4. All citizens have a right to self defence, and to the use of reasonable force in defence of themselves, others or their property. This article may not be interpreted as granting an individual right to own or bear firearms.

5. The Oireachtas may extend some or all of these rights, or parts thereof, to non-citizens. 

 

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