Tom Brabazon (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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364. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the details of the recent updates to citizenship qualification criteria; and when the changes will come into effect. [68533/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I have secured government approval to introduce new policies and legislative changes to strengthen Ireland’s migration and asylum system and ensure it is rules-based, efficient and aligned with many EU Member States. Department officials are actively working on plans to implement these changes as soon as possible.

As part of this, I propose to make a number of changes to the rules on citizenship.

The time a successful international protection applicant must wait to apply for citizenship will be extended from 3 to 5 years in line with most other citizenship applications and it is also my intention that such applicants should pay a fee for doing so which is also a general condition for all other applicants.

More generally, there is currently an application fee of €175 and a certification fee of €950 following a positive decision. The State has not increased the fees for naturalisation applications since 2011. These fees will be reviewed in the context of changes undertaken by other EU countries.

Furthermore, more clear guidance on what constitutes “good character”, as is required under Citizenship legislation, will be developed, therefore clarifying the application process for applicants, and the decision-making process for officials.

I also propose to introduce additional eligibility criteria so that people seeking citizenship should not be in long term receipt of certain social protection payments or owe a debt to the State for a defined period leading up to an application. Officials in my Department will work with the Attorney General’s Office and Department of Social Protection to develop this proposal.

It is also proposed that the Act will be amended to exclude residency accrual for naturalisation purposes for those who are residing in Ireland on temporary permissions including time spent in the State on the basis of: Temporary Protection under the Temporary Protection Directive (which has been activated in respect of the invasion of Ukraine); as an EU Treaty rights applicant; and a Stamp 0 permission applying to dependent elderly relatives, retirees and certain temporarily visiting academics.