Shandon's Rev Farr says proposed citizenship rules could split up her family

The priest in charge of one of Cork's most iconic landmarks has said the proposed new citizenship laws could split up her family.

Reverend Meghan Farr, the priest-in-charge of world-famous St Anne’s Church in Shandon has criticised the new laws proposed by Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan, which will increase the length of time a person must live in Ireland to be eligible for citizenship, from five to eight years.

Rev Farr moved to Cork from the US in June 2022 on a special visa with her husband and three sons to take up the post, which also includes serving as chaplain to St Luke’s Care Home in Blackrock.

The church had struggled to fill her position, with no suitable candidates identified until Meghan applied. Over the past four years she has overseen major repair works to the iconic church buliding.

As a result, she has built relationships with architects, builders, the community and the city council.

“If I left, the church would struggle to fill that position,” she said. Six vacancies have opened up in the diocese recently.

Her family “basically sold off everything to come here,” planning for a future that is now uncertain.

Rev Farr explained: 

“Our oldest son turned 17 the day before we came. We looked very carefully at the rules and saw that children can stay with you until they’re 23 if they’re in full-time education.” 

He now risks ageing out before they can naturalise and having to leave the rest of his family.

“He’s made his life here now. We don’t know what will happen when he turns 23 because under the new rules we would still be two years away from being able to apply for naturalisation.” 

Another issue is that her 'Minister of Religion' visa, which does not entitle her husband to work. He would need sponsorship from an employer, which is difficult to come by and he has not managed to get a job.

“He’s been clinging onto that one year before he can apply for citizenship,” she explained.

Rev Farr said: 

“If it was eight years, we wouldn’t have come here in the first place – the fact that this is retroactive really hurts people who came over here with a plan.

“For the government to change everything overnight to include everyone with so much time here, and so close to the end, and with all the many different scenarios of stamps and situations – I’m not sure it is clear at all how that will work.

“I’ve heard people say ‘It’s too bad, this wasn’t meant to hurt people like you’, and I think ‘In what way? White? American? Fluent in English?’ ”

“We love Ireland, we love Cork. This is home,” she said.

“It’s the unknown, particularly for my son.” 

Green party councillor Oliver Moran said he is calling on the Taoiseach to reverse the retroactive nature of the policy.

“The Taoiseach spoke about wanting to promote Irish and Irish values among people coming to this country,” he said.

“Has he forgotten who we are? Changing the rules on people mid-way, maybe that's his way, but it's not ours.”