DANA'S FAMILY:DANA'S SISTER Susan Stein has said she recalls discussing her sister's US citizenship in the context of the 1997 presidential election campaign.
As reported yesterday, Ms Stein mentioned the conversation in the course of a bitter legal battle in Iowa in 2008.
Yesterday, Dana said she did not receive her US citizenship until 1999.
Ms Stein said the conversation involved her, Dana’s husband Damien Scallon, and her brother, John Brown. She could not remember where the conversation occurred but said she was in the US at the time. It could have been in the course of a conference call, she said.
She said it was decided Dana would not disclose the fact she had US citizenship unless she was asked.
Ms Stein said she would not have suggested this, but would have agreed with the others.
Ms Stein, who lives in Donnellson, Iowa, said she has lived in the US since 1967, but did not take out American citizenship until 15 years ago, when she wanted to help other members of her family to secure it.
She said she remembered the oath of allegiance to the US she had to make, and said she found this difficult because of her attachment to her Irish identity.
She said Dana had used her US citizenship to sponsor her children, who also became US citizens. She said Dana’s husband was also a US citizen.
She said her sister was a very good person and very honest, and had a sincere concern for Ireland. She said Dana might appear “petite and fragile”, but should not be underestimated as she was in fact a very strong and determined person.
Ms Stein said the court had ruled on the copyright issue and the two sides had entered mediation to settle the remaining issues.
While the legal dispute between them had been settled, the rift within what had been a “very tight” family had not been repaired.
She said she hoped “this business about the passports doesn’t reflect too badly on her” in the context of her bid for the presidency.
Speaking in Kerry yesterday, Dana said every family had disputes.
“At the bottom of it all I love my family and we have reached agreement,” she added.
