The Irish ambassador replies: “There is no provision for ‘instant citizenship'” in Ireland
This letter to the editor was published in the correspondence columns of Times of Malta, yesterday:
Friday, January 17
by Jim Hennessy, Ambassador of Ireland, Ta’ Xbiex
No provision for ‘instant citizenship’ in Ireland
I refer to the article entitled ‘Backlash over passport scheme was foreseeable’ (January 16) where the head of the International Relations Department at the University of Malta is quoted saying the following: “Since the 1980s Ireland has offered an economic citizenship programme, which for a five-year unsecured investment of €1.2 million, instant citizenship is granted within s90 days”.
This reference is incorrect.
It appears to refer to a scheme that operated in Ireland from the 1980s, which was ended in 1998. There is an Immigrant Investor Programme that is provided for currently (launched in 2012 and revised in 2013).
However, this programme offers only the potential for residence in the State but does not offer Irish citizenship.
Successful applicants will only be able to apply for naturalisation under the terms of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts 1956-2004, in the same way and under the same conditions as all other non-Irish nationals.
The guidelines (that were revised in 2013) for this programme can be viewed online. They set out the relevant investment thresholds.
There is no provision for ‘instant citizenship’.
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http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/New%20Programmes%20for%20Investors%20and%20Entrepreneurs
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140117/letters/No-provision-for-instant-citizenship-in-Ireland.502943#.Utr56rA1gdU
Another bit of misinformation.
Head of the International Relations Department doing his bit for Joseph… and against Malta?
Another one to add to the list?
Really disgraceful to be cheating the people, the University, the country and the Irish in this way.
There’s really no excuse for this sensitive deception.
It’s a her.
Thank you, Baxxter.
I believe it may have been.
http://www.um.edu.mt/arts/int-relations/staff
Where does touche pas à ma position fit in?
You’ll have to refresh my memory there. I forget my comments as soon as I make them. Who was I referring to?
The PL government should be ashamed for deliberately misleading the people about the issue – absolutely immoral. At most, they are a bunch of amateurs who know they got the majority by promising the earth (and beyond) to voters who couldn’t really see through it all.
I so admire the diplomatic version of “Begorra! Sir! You are lying through your teeth” but most LP diehards cannot be expected to understand the diplomatic language
The Irish are mucking around although what they’ve done is slightly more diplomatic than the Maltese government:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/irish_citizenship/your_right_to_irish_citizenship.html
http://internationalliving.com/2012/09/irish-citizenship-for-sale-again/
I think that you are the one mucking up. In the same site that you mention (the second one) it is very clear that this is not a citizenship programme but a residency programme – very different.
Once one is a resident for a specified number of years, then one can apply for a passport.
This is actually the same as what many countries have (including malta, prior to this citizenship crap) – residency can lead you to citizenship.
Is is so difficult for labour voting individuals to comprehend such simple concepts?