ireland, irish, ulster, belfast, northern ireland, british, loyalist, nationalist, republican, unionist

(Irelandclick.com)

Sinn Féin human rights and equality spokeswoman has said that the party is fundamentally opposed to the introduction of British identity cards.

In a statement Caitríona Ruane said the party was "fundamentally opposed" to the introduction of any voluntary or compulsory British ID card.

Planned Westminster legislation would involve creating a UK-wide database holding information on people such as names, addresses, and biometric information like fingerprints, facial scans and iris scans by 2008.

"Under the Good Friday Agreement people in the North have the right to Irish or British identity," said the MLA. "Far from being an effective tool for anything, these cards would undermine not just civil liberties but also fundamentally the right of people living in the North to their Irish identity. Should Irish citizens in the North have to carry such a British ID card or there is there any basis for the British government to have the right to hold biometric and other information on Irish citizens?"

This article appeared first on the Irelandclick.com web site on May 30, 2005.