Irish PM Defends 23.3% Foreign-Born Share as Ireland Tightens Asylum and Citizenship Rules
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 30
Irish PM Defends 23.3% Foreign-Born Share as Ireland Tightens Asylum and Citizenship Rules
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 30
Summary
Micheál Martin said Ireland is not "overrun" by immigrants even though 23.3% of residents are foreign-born, arguing most demographic change came from legal migration tied to economic growth.
Martin said Ireland's asylum system had been too slow after applications hit a record 18,561 in 2024, and said processing and appeals have been accelerated while rejected applicants should face faster removal.
His government is drafting a new migration strategy that would raise citizenship residency requirements from five to eight years and add language and economic self-sufficiency tests.
Martin also backed publishing crime data by nationality, while rejecting the idea that crime is tied to any one nationality amid scrutiny after several high-profile cases and anti-migrant unrest.
Housing remains a central pressure point: Ireland built about 36,000 homes last year, but spent $1.4 billion on asylum accommodation in 2025 as social-housing demand and migration strains fueled political backlash.