Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2026
554. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the evidence base for raising the marriage/civil partnership residency requirement from three years to five, separately from the general increase in reckonable residence from five to eight. [68181/26]
View answer581. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to PQ68181/26, if consideration was given to the effect of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2026 on Irish citizens themselves — not just on the foreign-national spouse — of retroactively extending the timeline for their own husband, wife, or partner to become a citizen of this country. [68182/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 554 and 581 together.
Government considers that citizenship by naturalisation is one of the most significant legal statuses that the State can confer and should reflect a sustained and meaningful connection to Ireland.
The proposed amendments seek to ensure greater consistency across the naturalisation framework and to strengthen the link between citizenship and demonstrated residence, integration and compliance with the law.
While marriage to an Irish citizen remains an important factor and continues to be recognised in the legislation, the Government considers it appropriate that all applicants for citizenship by naturalisation demonstrate their own substantial connection to the State.
The proposals do not affect a person's entitlement to reside in Ireland with their Irish spouse or civil partner.
Rather, they concern the separate issue of eligibility for Irish citizenship by naturalisation. The objective is to ensure that citizenship reflects a durable connection to Ireland and is granted on the basis of clear, transparent and consistent criteria.
The Government considers that the revised residence requirements strike an appropriate balance between recognising the special position of spouses and civil partners of Irish citizens and ensuring that citizenship reflects a substantial period of lawful residence and integration within Irish society.
The dedicated naturalisation pathway for spouses and civil partners of Irish citizens will remain in place.
