Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2022
1364. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons who have been awarded Irish citizenship and their country of origin from 2015 to 2021 and to date in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30662/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy can be found in the attached table. Where the total number of people of any given country of origin is less than five, no further breakdown is provided to protect the identity of the people concerned.
I am deeply conscious of how important the granting of naturalisation is to those who apply for it and my Department continued to accept and process citizenship applications throughout the pandemic and during all levels of public health restrictions.
It should be noted that last year, my Department made 11,512 citizenship decisions, which is the highest level since 2015, and this work has continued apace in 2022.
The citizenship application process is reviewed on an ongoing basis to continually improve customer service quality. Feedback from applicants is taken on board and, as a result, a much more simplified, customer-focused and streamlined mechanism for applicants to provide their proofs of residence has recently been introduced.
To further speed up the processing of applications, a number of digitisation measures have also been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times. Additional staff have also been assigned to the citizenship team.
Since the beginning of this year, new applicants for citizenship no longer have to submit their original passport with their application. Instead, they can provide a full colour copy of their entire passport, including the front and back covers. This change in practice is welcomed by our customers and is also freeing up valuable staff time that up to now has been engaged in returning passports to applicants.
I am also pleased to confirm that my Department will host the first in-person citizenship ceremony since the pandemic on 20 June 2022, with further ceremonies scheduled in December 2022, in Killarney.
|
Column1 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
Grand Total |
|
Afghanistan |
80 |
46 |
39 |
36 |
15 |
25 |
81 |
75 |
397 |
|
Albania |
78 |
40 |
14 |
26 |
13 |
25 |
57 |
25 |
278 |
|
Algeria |
79 |
54 |
20 |
25 |
8 |
8 |
51 |
40 |
285 |
|
Angola |
78 |
46 |
26 |
16 |
7 |
8 |
19 |
9 |
209 |
|
Argentina |
18 |
9 |
15 |
10 |
7 |
13 |
25 |
9 |
106 |
|
Armenia |
16 |
11 |
2 |
9 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
53 |
|
Australia |
57 |
36 |
32 |
32 |
31 |
12 |
66 |
30 |
296 |
|
Austria |
1 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
13 |
|
Azerbaijan |
5 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
26 |
|
Bahrain |
0 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
7 |
|
Bangladesh |
141 |
111 |
79 |
81 |
58 |
41 |
146 |
87 |
744 |
|
Barbados |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
|
Belarus |
64 |
46 |
29 |
30 |
22 |
16 |
23 |
8 |
238 |
|
Belgium |
5 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
6 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
33 |
|
Benin |
7 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
14 |
|
Bhutan |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
|
Bolivia |
3 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
20 |
|
Bosnia And Herzegovina |
15 |
12 |
11 |
8 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
2 |
64 |
|
Botswana |
7 |
7 |
4 |
5 |
7 |
4 |
11 |
3 |
48 |
|
Brazil |
393 |
303 |
264 |
219 |
187 |
179 |
334 |
172 |
2,051 |
|
British Overseas Citizens (etc) |
21 |
11 |
8 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
9 |
0 |
60 |
|
Bulgaria |
107 |
76 |
60 |
57 |
47 |
62 |
75 |
33 |
517 |
|
Burkina Faso |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
8 |
|
Burundi |
13 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
27 |
|
Cambodia |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
|
Cameroon |
79 |
43 |
38 |
33 |
27 |
24 |
46 |
16 |
306 |
|
Canada |
52 |
43 |
18 |
31 |
19 |
28 |
48 |
21 |
260 |
|
Chad |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
|
Chile |
7 |
8 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
2 |
31 |
|
China (Including Hong Kong) |
478 |
304 |
224 |
233 |
160 |
129 |
293 |
120 |
1,941 |
|
Colombia |
13 |
17 |
11 |
15 |
8 |
5 |
15 |
9 |
93 |
|
Congo, The Democratic Republic Of The |
245 |
155 |
74 |
56 |
34 |
43 |
101 |
66 |
774 |
|
Congo, The Republic Of The |
11 |
9 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
40 |
|
Costa Rica |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
|
Cote D'Ivoire |
24 |
10 |
9 |
5 |
8 |
3 |
17 |
5 |
81 |
|
Croatia |
33 |
17 |
15 |
14 |
19 |
17 |
49 |
25 |
189 |
|
Cuba |
8 |
4 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
36 |
|
Cyprus |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
|
Czech Republic |
30 |
40 |
32 |
27 |
18 |
10 |
20 |
16 |
193 |
|
Denmark |
0 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
17 |
|
Dominican Republic |
4 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
19 |
|
Ecuador |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
19 |
|
Egypt |
126 |
81 |
60 |
71 |
52 |
46 |
108 |
56 |
600 |
|
El Salvador |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
|
Eritrea |
13 |
11 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
11 |
9 |
54 |
|
Estonia |
27 |
25 |
24 |
23 |
11 |
16 |
23 |
7 |
156 |
|
Ethiopia |
24 |
18 |
16 |
11 |
13 |
8 |
15 |
6 |
111 |
|
Fiji |
4 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
|
Finland |
1 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
|
France |
25 |
25 |
31 |
28 |
20 |
15 |
29 |
15 |
188 |
|
Gambia |
1 |
4 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
22 |
|
Georgia |
46 |
31 |
30 |
18 |
18 |
17 |
35 |
29 |
224 |
|
Germany |
33 |
27 |
26 |
42 |
26 |
15 |
35 |
18 |
222 |
|
Ghana |
123 |
64 |
41 |
32 |
26 |
33 |
51 |
20 |
390 |
|
Greece |
8 |
13 |
14 |
13 |
15 |
8 |
5 |
4 |
80 |
|
Guatemala |
3 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
11 |
|
Guinea |
22 |
10 |
7 |
16 |
6 |
3 |
12 |
6 |
82 |
|
Honduras |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
|
Hungary |
172 |
216 |
163 |
142 |
101 |
80 |
114 |
41 |
1,029 |
|
India |
1,616 |
1,028 |
665 |
629 |
514 |
465 |
746 |
302 |
5,965 |
|
Indonesia |
8 |
6 |
7 |
6 |
3 |
5 |
10 |
2 |
47 |
|
Iran (Islamic Republic Of) |
74 |
36 |
31 |
27 |
0 |
15 |
49 |
54 |
286 |
|
Iraq |
99 |
39 |
24 |
23 |
12 |
22 |
65 |
92 |
376 |
|
Israel |
19 |
16 |
6 |
20 |
15 |
5 |
19 |
4 |
104 |
|
Italy |
38 |
37 |
39 |
44 |
32 |
36 |
64 |
45 |
335 |
|
Jamaica |
11 |
5 |
6 |
8 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
43 |
|
Japan |
5 |
3 |
5 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
1 |
30 |
|
Jordan |
9 |
10 |
7 |
16 |
5 |
5 |
14 |
8 |
74 |
|
Kazakhstan |
7 |
6 |
6 |
9 |
7 |
4 |
8 |
6 |
53 |
|
Kenya |
45 |
25 |
13 |
25 |
14 |
20 |
28 |
20 |
190 |
|
Korea, Republic Of (South Korea) |
15 |
9 |
3 |
7 |
10 |
2 |
11 |
0 |
57 |
|
Kosovo / UNSCR 1244 |
35 |
19 |
11 |
10 |
10 |
12 |
23 |
4 |
124 |
|
Kuwait |
12 |
7 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
9 |
14 |
54 |
|
Kyrgyzstan |
5 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
17 |
|
Lao People's Democratic Republic |
3 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
|
Latvia |
328 |
380 |
392 |
308 |
221 |
146 |
240 |
73 |
2,088 |
|
Lebanon |
17 |
19 |
7 |
6 |
12 |
12 |
28 |
6 |
107 |
|
Lesotho |
0 |
3 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
15 |
|
Liberia |
16 |
15 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
4 |
50 |
|
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya |
39 |
15 |
10 |
8 |
1 |
8 |
36 |
41 |
158 |
|
Lithuania |
126 |
166 |
166 |
133 |
88 |
49 |
111 |
44 |
883 |
|
Malawi |
17 |
12 |
13 |
4 |
10 |
8 |
19 |
14 |
97 |
|
Malaysia |
149 |
111 |
68 |
76 |
39 |
27 |
69 |
27 |
566 |
|
Mali |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
12 |
|
Malta |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
6 |
|
Mauritius |
76 |
74 |
68 |
76 |
68 |
59 |
85 |
46 |
552 |
|
Mexico |
28 |
19 |
22 |
14 |
25 |
12 |
34 |
13 |
167 |
|
Missing |
5 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
10 |
|
Moldova, Republic Of |
131 |
70 |
43 |
26 |
32 |
30 |
42 |
8 |
382 |
|
Mongolia |
19 |
16 |
19 |
10 |
8 |
5 |
25 |
15 |
117 |
|
Morocco |
69 |
41 |
24 |
21 |
7 |
9 |
38 |
28 |
237 |
|
Mozambique |
0 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
|
Multiple Nationality Recorded |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
7 |
|
Myanmar |
10 |
9 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
5 |
35 |
|
Namibia |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
|
Nepal |
42 |
32 |
13 |
17 |
16 |
25 |
23 |
10 |
178 |
|
Netherlands |
7 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
5 |
0 |
9 |
1 |
37 |
|
New Zealand |
26 |
31 |
15 |
14 |
14 |
9 |
28 |
10 |
147 |
|
Nicaragua |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
8 |
|
Niger |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
|
Nigeria |
1,364 |
774 |
508 |
478 |
304 |
227 |
744 |
260 |
4,659 |
|
Other |
6 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
16 |
|
Pakistan |
730 |
419 |
340 |
363 |
125 |
136 |
611 |
466 |
3,190 |
|
Palestinian Territory, Occupied |
23 |
9 |
9 |
10 |
6 |
14 |
20 |
16 |
107 |
|
Panama |
1 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
Paraguay |
0 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
|
Peru |
15 |
11 |
5 |
8 |
5 |
6 |
3 |
3 |
56 |
|
Philippines |
1,165 |
729 |
362 |
319 |
191 |
157 |
218 |
104 |
3,245 |
|
Poland |
1,159 |
1,324 |
1,357 |
1,463 |
925 |
758 |
819 |
318 |
8,123 |
|
Portugal |
11 |
11 |
14 |
18 |
4 |
9 |
10 |
12 |
89 |
|
Romania |
902 |
756 |
763 |
819 |
552 |
538 |
721 |
370 |
5,421 |
|
Russian Federation |
156 |
109 |
95 |
91 |
70 |
66 |
113 |
69 |
769 |
|
Rwanda |
12 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
9 |
2 |
39 |
|
Saint Lucia |
0 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
|
Saudi Arabia |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
