6,000 new Irish citizens attend Citizenship Ceremonies in Convention Centre Dublin
- Foilsithe: 18 Nollaig 2023
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 28 Feabhra 2024
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has today welcomed the granting of Irish citizenship to 6,000 new Irish citizens in six separate Ceremonies taking place across Monday and Tuesday in the Convention Centre in Dublin.
The Ceremonies will see applicants from 131 countries around the world and living in all 32 counties on the island of Ireland being conferred as Irish citizens.
Minister McEntee attended the Ceremonies on Monday 18th and Minister of State James Browne will attend on Tuesday 19th.
Speaking today, Minister McEntee said:
“Attending Citizenship Ceremonies is always a unique privilege as Minister for Justice and I would like to warmly congratulate and welcome our newest citizens on this milestone day in their lives.
"Today marks the end of one journey and the beginning of an exciting new one for them.
"Our new citizens enrich Ireland with their presence and our society reaps the benefits which they bring.”
The Citizenship Ceremonies this week follow Ceremonies held in the RDS in March, Killarney in July and the Convention Centre in October.
This means that over 18,000 people have now been conferred with citizenship this year.
Minister of State James Browne added:
“I want to acknowledge the value and necessity of immigration to support Ireland’s society and economy. As a nation that over centuries saw so many Irish people emigrate to find safety or work, the Irish people understand what it means to be a migrant, to seek a safe haven, to lay roots and to find a new home.”
The Presiding Officers at the Ceremonies is retired Judge Mary Irvine (Monday) and retired Judge Paddy McMahon (Tuesday) who will administer the Declaration of Fidelity to the Irish Nation and Loyalty to the State.
The new Irish citizens also undertook to faithfully observe the laws of the State and to respect its democratic values.
Additional information
6000 successful applicants from 142 countries have been invited to receive Irish citizenship across six separate Ceremonies in the CCD on 18 and 19 December.
Citizenship ceremonies were first introduced in 2011 in order to mark the occasion of the granting of citizenship in a dignified and solemn manner. Since Citizenship Ceremonies were first introduced, there has been a total of 173 Ceremonies (inclusive) with people from over 180 countries receiving their certificates of naturalisation.
To date approximately 173,000 people have received Irish citizenship since 2011.
The figure of 173,000 includes the attendees at the December Ceremonies and applicants who received citizenship via the Declaration process introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as minors who are not required to attend a Ceremony.
| Year | Date | Ceremony | Number of ceremonies | Total attended |
| 2023 | 10-Mar-23 | RDS | 2 | 1,362 |
| 2023 | 19-Jun-23 | INEC - Killarney | 2 | 1,588 |
| 2023 | 20-Jun-23 | INEC - Killarney | 2 | 1,908 |
| 2023 | 02-Oct- | Convention Centre | 3 | 2,661 |
| 2023 | 18-Dec-23 | Convention Centre | 3 | 3,000* |
| 2023 | 19-Dec-23 | Convention Centre | 3 | 3,000* |
| 15 | 13,519 (7,519+6,000) | |||
| Order | Top 10 nationalities | Number of applicants | ||
| 1 | India | 1115 | ||
| 2 | Brazil | 425 | ||
| 3 | Philippines | 366 | ||
| 4 | United Kingdom | 349 | ||
| 5 | Nigeria | 301 | ||
| 6 | Poland | 291 | ||
| 7 | Romania | 290 | ||
| 8 | Pakistan | 283 | ||
| 9 | China (Including Hong Kong) | 175 | ||
| 10 | United States Of America | 161 | ||
| County | Number of applicants | |||
| Co. Antrim | 25 | |||
| Co. Armagh | 2 | |||
| Co. Carlow | 66 | |||
| Co. Cavan | 56 | |||
| Co. Clare | 71 | |||
| Co. Cork | 551 | |||
| Co. Derry | 5 | |||
| Co. Donegal | 104 | |||
| Co. Down | 10 | |||
| Co. Dublin | 2916 | |||
| Co. Fermanagh | 2 | |||
| Co. Galway | 254 | |||
| Co. Kerry | 87 | |||
| Co. Kildare | 371 | |||
| Co. Kilkenny | 41 | |||
| Co. Laois | 75 | |||
| Co. Leitrim | 25 | |||
| Co. Limerick | 239 | |||
| Co. Longford | 57 | |||
| Co. Louth | 210 | |||
| Co. Mayo | 72 | |||
| Co. Meath | 220 | |||
| Co. Monaghan | 24 | |||
| Co. Offaly | 46 | |||
| Co. Roscommon | 41 | |||
| Co. Sligo | 49 | |||
| Co. Tipperary | 97 | |||
| Co. Tyrone | 4 | |||
| Co. Waterford | 108 | |||
| Co. Westmeath | 131 | |||
| Co. Wexford | 96 | |||
| Co. Wicklow | 151 | |||
| Total | 6206 |
- Actual numbers on day(s) may vary slightly due to late withdrawals and/or late confirmations of attendance.