Migration and Citizenship: Statements
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-30
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Ruth Coppinger (PBP), Dublin West

We have heard a lot about this Bill but we have not seen it. We have heard what has been planned. We need to say that it is unnecessary, divisive and damaging. There has never been any demand in this Dáil or anywhere else for a discussion about citizenship. In fact, all I have heard about is IPAS centres and "illegals".
Suddenly, we have a problem with citizenship. The Government is failing on housing and the cost of living and suddenly, this is brought into the equation as the Dáil starts its term. It is taking the focus of the data centres eating our electricity or the fact that seven out of ten young people feel they are going to have to leave this country. It is performative cruelty.
Naturalisation should not have to be a massive burden. If people have been living and working in this country for five years and want to settle down here, they should have security and they deserve that, especially non-EU citizens who have to go through visas and difficulties every single time they need to go home if a family member is sick. This is racist and it follows the far-right approach taken elsewhere. As others have said, it is not in line with other countries.
I want to mention the income test as well. A rake of parties and Independents went to briefings about how terribly migrant healthcare assistants were being treated in this country. If those Members dare stand up and support this Bill when it does come through, they are hypocrites because these people are doing essential work in our nursing homes and so many aspects of our lives.
The language test is a similar matter. I do not speak Irish. Are we going to make migrants perform to a higher level than is the case for other people? This is not needed and all the Government is doing here is making life miserable and creating guest workers in this country rather than people who have a stake in society.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-30/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T01:00:59+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-30