Record 30,000 decisions made on Irish citizenship applications

Michael Bolton

Over 30,00 decisions on Irish citiznenship was made in 2024, the most made since records began.

Figures published showed by the Department of Justice show a significant increase on the 20,000 decisions made in 2023.

Over 6,000 new Irish citizens, hailing from 140 countries around the world, will be granted citizenship in seven ceremonies being held on Monday and Tuesday.

Speaking ahead of the ceremonies, Minister McEntee said; “I would like to congratulate all of our newest Irish citizens, as well as their family and friends joining them on this special day.

"I encourage our new citizens to continue to contribute to building inclusive communities. In forging connections between our cultures, we can enrich our social fabric.

"Our new citizens play an essential role fuelling growth in our economy. They also contribute immensely to industries where we have labour shortages like construction, agriculture and healthcare. They also make our workforce more diverse and inclusive.”

Significant changes have been introduced in the Citizenship Division of the Department of Justice to speed up the application process for applicants, including the introduction of an online digital application, online payments, and eVetting.

Going forward, it is envisaged that the majority of applications based on residency will receive a decision within 12 months.

To date, over 191,000 people have received Irish citizenship since 2011.