The Social Democrats have called on the Minister for Justice to provide urgent clarification in the wake of this week’s shocking High Court ruling which has caused distress and worry among people with pending applications for citizenship.
The party’s co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said:
“The High Court ruling that requires residents who apply for Irish citizenship to remain in Ireland for a year was unexpected and is deeply unsettling.
“The judgment has caused enormous anxiety. People who have pending applications are now very concerned that their applications will be refused or that the lack of legal clarity will add to the processing times, which are already lengthy.
“People who were thinking of applying for citizenship are now faced with delaying their applications or having to reconsider travel plans – for reasons of work, family or holidays – out of fear that this could impact a future application.
“The Minister for Justice must do more than offer assurances – he must provide up to date information for people in the system or contemplating applying for citizenship so that they know where they stand. It is absolutely vital that this issue is resolved avoiding every possible delay.
ENDS
18th July 2019