This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at DCU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
What does it really mean to become Irish? Is it simply a passport, or is it the recognition that someone has made Ireland their home?
As somebody who grew up in Ireland raised by an Irish family, I have always seen people from different backgrounds around me. In school, college, work, on public transport and in my daily life, Ireland doesn’t feel like a country where everyone has the same story. Some people were born here, while others moved here when they were young or came here later in life. Some have Irish parents, while others have built their entire lives here despite being born somewhere else.
The Government is proposing significant changes to the citizenship process. One of the biggest is increasing the amount of time a person normally has to live in Ireland before applying for citizenship from five years to eight. There are also proposals for language and civics requirements, as well as requirements relating to financial independence
I can understand why some of these changes have been proposed. If someone wants to become an Irish citizen, it seems reasonable that they should have some understanding of the country they are becoming a citizen of. Learning about Irish society, politics and the rights and responsibilities that come with citizenship could actually be a positive thing. Similarly, having a basic knowledge of English, Irish or even Irish Sign Language could help people feel more connected to life in Ireland.
However, I struggle more with the idea of making people wait eight years.
Eight years is a long time. As a college student, I find it difficult to imagine how much my own life could change over that period of time. I could finish my degree, start a career, move house, make new friends and completely change as a person. For someone who has moved to Ireland, eight years could mean an enormous part of their adult life spent building a home here.
If someone has lived in Ireland for five years, worked here, studied here, made friends, joined their local clubs in their community, raised a family or simply built a life here, does another three years necessarily make them more Irish?
I don’t think citizenship should be completely automatic. Becoming a citizen is an important decision, and I understand why there should be requirements. But I also think we need to be careful about creating requirements simply for the sake of making citizenship harder to obtain.
I also find the proposed financial requirements difficult to understand. I can see why the Government might want citizens to be financially independent, but I don’t think someone’s bank balance tells us everything about them. A person could be struggling financially but still be working hard, studying, raising a family, volunteering or helping within their community.
As a student, I know that being financially independent isn’t always realistic. Students depend on parents, grants, part time jobs and many other forms of support. Our financial situation doesn’t necessarily reflect how much we contribute to the people and society around us. I think the same idea should be considered when we talk about citizenship.
For me, this isn’t really about whether the rules should be strict or relaxed. It’s about what we believe citizenship is supposed to represent.
Ireland is changing. Our classrooms, workplaces, universities and communities are made up of people from many different backgrounds all around the world. Especially as a college student, I see that diversity as a normal part of modern Irish life. People can arrive from another part of the world and still make Ireland their home.
I think we should therefore ask whether this amendment to our citizenship system reflects the Ireland we actually live in.
I don’t think being born in Ireland should be the only way someone can feel Irish. At the same time, I don’t think citizenship should be something that is automatically given without any requirements. There has to be a balance.
Personally, I think language and civics requirements could be positive if they are fair and accessible. They could help people understand Irish society and feel more involved in it. But increasing the waiting period to eight years and placing too much importance on financial independence could create barriers for people who already feel that Ireland is their home.
Eight years might be a number on a piece of legislation, but for real people it represents eight years of their life.