Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 December 2025
261. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if an assessment will be carried out to understand how discouraging welfare access for refugees and migrants by linking it to eligibility for naturalisation will affect the labour market, education participation, integration outcomes and poverty rates. [70601/25]
View answer262. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he has given consideration to the human rights impact of penalising migrants and refugees who rely on essential social welfare supports such as disability allowance, carer's allowance or working family payment in terms of eligibility for naturalisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70602/25]
View answer263. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if a comprehensive impact analysis will be conducted in respect of the new proposals to discourage welfare access for refugees and migrants by penalising them in terms of eligibility for naturalisation; if he will commit not to further the development of these policies until such an analysis is conducted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70603/25]
View answer264. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will consult with relevant stakeholders (details supplied) before developing further or implementing proposals to link eligibility for naturalisation to welfare access; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70604/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 261, 262, 263 and 264 together.
Migrants play an essential and positive role in contributing to Irish society and are vital to addressing labour shortages in many sectors of the economy. For those migrants who establish themselves here, naturalisation provides a very effective means to enhance their integration and participation in Irish society.The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act. I intend to propose a number of new statutory naturalisation conditions including the requirement to be self-sufficient. Being self-sufficient will mean that the applicant should not be indebted to the State or be in receipt of certain social protection payments in a defined time period prior to submitting an application.It is not the intention to bar anybody who has ever received a welfare payment from applying for citizenship. That said, it is reasonable to expect that a person seeking to become an Irish citizen has contributed to the country and has been in employment.The exact types of social welfare payment to be taken into account will be examined by my Department in consultation with the Department of Social Protection.The outlined conditions of being 'self-sufficient' will require legislative change to the 1956 Act and full scrutiny of the proposed changes will take place through the regular parliamentary process.
