To the Government of Ireland, the Minister for Justice and Members of the Oireachtas

 

We, the undersigned, respectfully call on the Government to reconsider the proposed increase in the residency requirement for Irish citizenship from five to eight years and, at minimum, provide meaningful transitional protection for those already legally resident in Ireland.

 

Thousands of people have chosen Ireland as their home, coming through lawful routes to work, contribute and build their futures here. They include doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, IT professionals, engineers, educators, researchers, entrepreneurs, skilled tradespeople and workers across many other sectors that are vital to Ireland’s economy, public services and communities. Many have spent years working, paying taxes, raising families and contributing to Irish society based on the existing five-year framework. Extending this pathway after these commitments have already been made risks retrospectively moving the goalposts and creating considerable uncertainty for individuals and families.

 

Ireland also depends heavily on an international workforce and competes globally for skilled workers. Increasing the pathway to citizenship from five to eight years may make some skilled professionals reconsider their long-term future in Ireland and potentially explore opportunities or alternative pathways in other countries. If experienced doctors, nurses, engineers, IT professionals and other skilled workers decide to leave or choose not to establish their long-term careers here, Ireland could face difficulties maintaining a stable and experienced workforce. This could negatively affect essential services, recruitment and retention, and ultimately place additional pressure on the Irish economy and public services. We should not be collectively disadvantaged because of pressures or failures within the asylum and international protection system, which we did not create and do not control.

 

We respectfully ask the Government to:

 

● Reconsider increasing the citizenship residency requirement from five to eight years.

 

● Protect those already legally resident in Ireland by allowing them to continue under the existing five-year pathway, or introduce meaningful transitional arrangements.

 

● Assess the potential impact on recruitment, retention and workforce stability across healthcare, technology, education, engineering, business and other essential sectors.

 

● Consult affected communities, employers and professional organisations before introducing significant changes.

 

● Maintain a citizenship pathway that is fair, transparent, proportionate and predictable.

 

We are not asking for preferential treatment or automatic citizenship. We recognise that citizenship is a privilege and that appropriate eligibility requirements must be met. We are simply asking for fairness, predictability and recognition of the contribution and commitments already made by people who have chosen Ireland as their home. We came to Ireland legally to work, contribute, raise our families and build our futures. Please protect a fair pathway to belonging and do not move the goalposts after years of commitment to Ireland.