Limerick councillor calls on minister to review citizenship costs

LIMERICK City and County Council are to write to Justice Minister Helen McEntee to ask her to review the costs around becoming an Irish citizen.

As it stands, people wishing to secure citizenship of this country can face costs of in excess of €1,100.

Initially, there is an application fee of €175.

Then, if an application is successful, the cost of citizenship comes to €950.

The fee does not offer a passport, with the price of this coming in at €75.

However, the price can drop dramatically depending on the person.

At the final council meeting of the term prior to the local election, Newcastle West member Jerome Scanlan saw a motion passed, which will now see the local authority make contact with Ms McEntee.

It is her department which is responsible for the fee structure.

“The fee is astronomical for people in certain cases in terms of affordability,” said Cllr Scanlan.

“There should be, in my view, a step-scale for length of time spent in this country. People need to be acknowledged, they need to be given credit for tax, PRSI and USC in terms of time spent here. This needs to be looked at and bring a bit of fairness into play.”

Cllr Eddie Ryan, an Independent colleague of Cllr Scanlan seconded the motion.

“I’ve heard of people being asked to pay colossal money for citizenship. It’s not fair. If we go to Britain, there is no bar on anything. So why should there be here,” he asked.