Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 October 2026
14. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will abolish the proposed extension of the residency requirement by three years for citizenship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70618/26]
View answerI ask the Minister to draw back from his very divisive proposal in terms of the change of citizenship rules. It is an answer to a problem that simply does not exist. It will punish migrant workers in this country These are migrant workers who, among other things, are staffing our health service. We will all lose as a consequence, and it looks like a very Trumpish policy of effectively trying to clamber to the top of the Government on the backs of some of the most vulnerable people in this country. It will not improve things for anybody else in this country.
I thank Deputy Murphy. The Government, the Minister, and I, very much recognise the really incredible contribution migrants make to Irish society, to communities and the economy, no more so than in our own constituencies.
The programme for Government contains a commitment to continue to implement a firmer and more sustainable migration system which protects the integrity of the State's immigration framework. In that context, the general scheme of the Irish nationality and citizenship Bill 2026 proposes a number of reforms to the citizenship process.
Citizenship represents, I believe, the fullest expression of membership of Irish society. It is important that the legislative framework governing access to citizenship is robust, fair and sustainable. The proposed changes do not seek to restrict integration or exclude migrants from Irish society. Rather, they are intended to ensure that citizenship reflects a genuine and lasting connection to Ireland, an understanding of the State and its institutions, and an ongoing commitment to Irish society.
The Government has considered whether five years remains the most appropriate period for establishing the durable connection to the State that citizenship is intended to recognise. The residence period requirements in other EU states were considered in determining the revision to residency period requirements contained in the Bill. The current residency requirement has remained substantially unchanged since the middle of the last century, despite profound changes in migration patterns, labour mobility and international travel. While the proposals may affect the timeframe within which some individuals become eligible to apply for citizenship, they do not affect a person's entitlement to reside, work, study, establish a business or establish a life in Ireland in accordance with the terms of their immigration status which they would hold.
Since it is the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, who goes out and sticks the boot into migrants day in, day out, announcing one performative cruelty policy after another, I do not know why it is the poor junior Minister, Deputy Brophy, who is sent in here to defend it. It happened last week in the debate on citizenship and migration and here we are again. I do not know why the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, cannot be responsible and defend the policy he is out promoting on the airwaves.
I was in Luxembourg last week.
Why will he not answer the questions in here today? Why is he going to make life harder for nurses who have come here and are contributing to our society? He is going to move the goalposts for them. These are people who want to integrate and to be citizens. They are paying taxes and contributing. What problem is this addressing? Why did the Minister come up with the idea that we need to change the goalposts and make it harder for people to be citizens? Why do we have to become more draconian that most European states? Why do we have to become a lot more draconian than the countries Irish people emigrate to such as Australia and Canada, where a period of three to five years is the norm?
Regardless of what the Deputy might like to think, imply or say, the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan and myself are absolutely at one on this. This is a policy which both of us are bringing forward. It is a policy which at its heart is about introducing a modern, progressive system in relation to citizenship, that is fair for our country and for people going through the process. The combination of measures we are looking at includes a civics element whereby people will have an understanding of the country in which they are living; an element around language whereby people have an ability and competency in English, Irish or Irish Sign Language; and we intend to look at the residency period. The Deputy is correct that the residency period is quite different across different countries. I do not disagree with him. I happen to think that we are strengthening that connection through citizenship by increasing the period of time for which somebody would be in the country before citizenship is granted. Citizenship is a privilege for anybody in any country to acquire. It is not a right. It is not something that is just bartered away because somebody spends a certain number of years in a country. Citizenship is far more important than that.
If the Minister of State is at one with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, then shame on him, too. Shame on him also, stepping on the backs of the migrant workers who hold up our health system. He says this is about introducing a moderate, progressive system. What is not moderate and progressive about the system that we currently have? Again, I ask the question. What is the actual problem? Why has the Minister decided to do this? This is not a general topic of discussion in society. There is no one clamouring for this change. It seems to me it is purely a political, Trumpish, divisive measure designed to distract from all the problems the Government is responsible for. Ireland will be the only country to have this level of restrictions in terms of salary, social protection and the number of years being here. It will be the only country in the EU to have that.
Why this wealth test for citizens? What is wrong with low-paid workers? Why should low-paid workers, who give so much to this country, and who also pay tax, have less of a right to citizenship just because they are on low pay? Do the Ministers think that kind of discrimination is okay?
I refer the Deputy to what I was saying to him earlier. A Government has an entitlement to look from time to time at the laws and regulations that govern the society in which we live. We have not made changes to our citizenship process in this type of area for decades upon decades. There is an absolute right for Irish people, through their elected representatives, to look at it. We are introducing legislation. We have proposals in that legislation. There will be a full process of engagement through the Houses of the Oireachtas, which will look at all aspects of it. What the Government believes it is doing is not actually looking to make it more difficult for someone to become an Irish citizen but to make sure that it is a deeper and stronger engagement when it happens. I do not think it is in any way wrong to ask people to have proficiency in a language in a country in which they live, to be able to contribute to it, to have knowledge of its civic society and how it works, and to be resident in the country for a significant period before they get citizenship. I do not see what is so ridiculous, unfair or wrong about those simple requirements.
