Citizenship Reform
We, the undersigned of the Irish nation, hereby petition the Government to hold an ‘ordinary’ national referendum — in accordance with the democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution — to amend the rules governing the granting of Irish citizenship.
We propose that the following constitutional provisions be placed before the Irish people for approval in a referendum:
- Minimum Residency Requirement:
Irish citizenship shall only be granted to individuals who have lawfully and continuously resided in the State for a minimum of ten (10) years.
- Financial Independence:
Applicants must demonstrate full financial self-sufficiency during the ten-year qualifying period, excluding cases of verified temporary illness or disability.
- Illegal Entry and Fraudulent Documents:
Citizenship shall not be granted to any individual who entered the State illegally, used false documentation, or arrived without valid identification.
- Cultural and Legal Integration:
All applicants must demonstrate a strong understanding of Irish culture, constitutional values, and the legal system as part of the naturalisation process.
- Revocation of Citizenship for Serious Criminal Offences:
Citizenship shall not be granted, and shall be subject to revocation, in the case of any individual convicted of a criminal offence punishable by a custodial sentence exceeding one year, whether or not such sentence is imposed.
Furthermore, we call for an immediate pause on the granting of citizenships until such time as the Irish people are consulted via referendum.
This petition is grounded in Article 6 of Bunreacht na hÉireann, which declares:
“All powers of government, legislative, executive and judicial, derive, under God, from the people... whose right it is, in final appeal, to decide all questions of national policy.”
