A new chapter for over 7,500 people who will be granted Irish Citizenship at the INEC Arena, Killarney, Co. Kerry.
Today and tomorrow over 7,500 people will be granted Irish citizenship at the INEC Killarney. Applicants from over 143 countries and across all 32 counties on the island will make a declaration of fidelity and loyalty to the State and become Irish citizens.
Over seven ceremonies held over two days, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, MrJim O’Callaghan will be joined by Minister of State with responsibility for Migration, Mr Colm Brophy, and Minister of State with responsibility for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice, Mr Niall Collins.
Speaking ahead of the ceremonies, Minister O’Callaghan said: “This ceremony marks an important milestone in the lives of those receiving Irish citizenship. For each new citizen it signifies a deep connection to Ireland, its values, and its people. Ireland welcomes our new citizens as full members of society, and their contributions will undoubtedly strengthen the fabric of our nation. I encourage all new citizens to continue to actively engage in their communities so that, together, we can build a thriving society”.
Minister Brophy said: “I congratulate our newest citizens and wish each of them well as they begin this new part of their lives. Migration plays an essential role in Ireland’s development. It strengthens our economy, enriches our cultural diversity, and deepens our sense of solidarity. We are proud to welcome each new citizen as valued members of our communities.”
Minister Collins said: “Those becoming Irish citizens over the next two days are joining a diverse and inclusive Ireland. Citizenship is not only a right but a symbol of shared responsibility and mutual trust. These new citizens now have a place in shaping the future of Ireland. I sincerely congratulate each of our new Irish citizens. This is a proud and memorable day for them, their families, and for the whole country.”
The Presiding Officer at the ceremonies over the next two days is Judge Mr Paddy McMahon, who will confer the attendees with Irish Citizenship. He will administer the Declaration of Fidelity to the Irish Nation and Loyalty to the State. The new Irish citizens will undertake to faithfully observe the laws of the State and to respect its democratic values.
In just over two years the Citizenship Division of the Department has gone from processing around 12,000 applications a year to processing over 20,000 applications in 2023, and nearly 31,000 in 2024.
Significant changes have been introduced in the Citizenship Division of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to speed up the application process for applicants, including the introduction of an online digital application, online payments, and eVetting. As a result, processing times are now decreasing year on year. The length of time it takes to process an application has dropped from 15 months in 2023 to 8 months in 2024.
It is expected that going forward, the vast majority of applicants will continue to receive a decision within one year, however, it is important to note that no two naturalisation applications are the same and some take longer than others to process.
Lyrics: British folk singer-songwriter, folk song collector, labour activist and actor, the late James Henry Miller (1915 – 1989), better known by his stage name Ewan MacColl. Vocals: Dublin born Irish singer, folk musician and actor, the late Luke Kelly(1940 – 1984).
Come My Little Son.
Come me little son, And I will tell you what we’ll do. Undress yourself and get into bed, And the tale I’ll tell to you. It’s all about your Daddy, He’s a man you seldom see, For he’s had to roam, Far away from home, Far away from you and me.
[Chorus:] Remember laddie he’s still your Dad, Though he’s working far away. In the cold and heat all the hours of the week, On England’s motorway.
Now when you fall, And hurt yourself, And get a feeling bad, It isn’t any good to go running for your Dad. For the only time since you were born, He’s had to spend with you, He was out of a job, And he hadn’t a bob, He was signing on the brew.
[Repeat Chorus]
Sure we’d like your Daddy here, Yes, sure it would be fine, To have him working nearer home, And to see him all the time, But beggars can’t be choosers, And we have to bear our load, For we need the money your Daddy earns, A working on the road. Remember laddie he’s still your Dad, And he’ll soon be home to stay, For a week or two with me and you, When he’s built the motorway. END.
The graduation of 123 Prison Officers took place yesterday at the Print Works, Dublin Castle.
The new officers have now completed their Higher Certificate of Arts in Custodial Care (HCCC), developed and delivered jointly by the Irish Prison Service and South East Technological University (SETU).
This graduating class form part of the Irish Prison Service’s latest recruitment drive. They have already been allocated tn prisons throughout the State, including the Operational Support Group and the Prison Service Escort Corp.
This week’s graduation ceremony marks the formal recognition of the new officers’ academic achievement.
Recognising the crucial role played by prison officers in delivering an important public service, President of SETU, Professor Veronica Campbell emphasised the need to provide a high standard of training and education to support them:- “In light of this, the Irish Prison Service and SETU have created a collaborative work-based programme that develops the reflective, theoretical and practical skills of the Recruit Prison Officer.With over 900 Recruit Prison Officers having successfully completed the programme since 2017, including the 123 graduates who were awarded a Higher Certificate of Arts in Custodial Care at Dublin Castle this evening, SETU’s partnership with the Irish Prison Service is a prime example of our connectivity with our region, firmly aligned with our strategic goals in the provision of educational experiences that are student centred and responsive to learner needs. I extend my sincere congratulations to this year’s graduates on their academic achievements. This milestone is a testament to the hard work you have invested in earning your qualification.”
The Higher Certificate in Custodial Care is a two-year part-time programme designed to develop the professional competencies of Prison Service staff in working with prisoners. The HCCC is intended to facilitate a greater understanding of how officers can confront challenges through the exploration of different subjects including, Resilience, Mental Health, Social Psychology and Human Rights.
After initial training, RPOs are appropriated to a prison, with assignments based on the security and operational needs of each individual prison.
Clocks go forward tonight, with Irish Summer Time beginning tomorrow morning, Sunday March 30th, at 1:00am. This change will mean longer, lighter evenings from the start of next week.
This practice of advancing clocks is to make better use of the longer daylight available during our summer season, so that darkness falls at a later clock time.
Most of our smartphones, tablets, laptops and PC’s will automatically update.
Since April 2021, the European Parliament, of which Ireland is a member, voted by 410 to 192 in favour of ending this seasonal practice of moving clocks forward by an hour in springtime, and then back again in the autumn. This decision is expected to form the basis of further discussions within EU countries before taking a final stance on the matter.
The British government has already indicated that having left the European Union, it will stick to the current practice/system of switching clocks. Sir Winston Churchill once stated that the switching of clocks enlarged opportunities for the ‘pursuit of health and happiness’, among the millions of people who reside in England, however, it should be remembered that the practice of changing clocks was first introduced in 1916 to save energy costs during World War I.
An Bord Pleanála has confirmed that proposed plans to establish a €650m hydroelectric pumped storage power project, to be located at the former mine site at Silvermines, Co. Tipperary, has been now been deemed developed enough to enter the permit granting process for ‘Projects of Common Interest’, latter an essential infrastructure project regarded as aimed to strengthen European energy markets, thus assisting EU energy and climate goals.
The appeals board will now evaluate the project under an EU procedure which aims to streamline the consenting process for trans-European energy projects.
This Silvermines Hydroelectric Energy Storage Project, when eventually operational, is expected to store as much as 296 Megawatts (MW), with a daily storage capacity of up to 2,175MWh of electricity, same sufficient to power 185,000 households or 21,000 small businesses daily in Ireland.
Not a new idea, but like the existing ESB Turlough Hill (292 MW) Power Plant in Co. Wicklow, first commenced in 1968, this project will see water pumped from one source, starting at ground level and delivered to a reservoir higher up, which in turn will then be released through turbines that in turn generate electricity.
The 148-hectare (366 acre) site, chosen for the project, in Co. Tipperary is situated on the Northern ridge of the Silvermines Mountain range and was first proposed initially some 9 years ago. The project, when first made public in January of 2016, suggested that wind energy, from awind farm on the site would be deployed at night time, during periods of less demand, to pump the water from the downhill lake to the uphill storage area.
This Silvermines Hydro project is being developed and managed by Siga-Hydro Limited, an Irish company based in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, working with the Foresight Group, a global infrastructure investor.
Accounts for a connected firm, Silvermines Tipp Hold Co Ltd, shows that it received a capital injection of €14.5m in 2023. It is estimated that the project will create some 400 jobs during its construction phase and employ as many as 50 qualified personnel in the pumping hydro station, during its operational phase.
Following the announced permit granting procedure, An Bord Pleanála will now make a final decision on the project.
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