A total of 3,914 people will be conferred with Irish citizenship at four ceremonies being held today and tomorrow in Co Kerry.
This year's Summer Citizenship Ceremonies at the INEC in Killarney will see applicants drawn from 139 countries make a Declaration of Fidelity to the Irish Nation and loyalty to the State.
Those gathered for today's ceremony were told by Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris that "the richness of a nation is not measured by its wealth, but in its people, in their differences and similarities and their shared home on this island".
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said today is a milestone in the lives of our newest citizens.
"Becoming an Irish citizen will guarantee certain fundamental rights under our Constitution. These rights are many and varied, but they will protect you, your family and your freedom."
She urged the country's newest citizens to get involved in their local communities ensuring "everyone has a voice and will help strengthen our democracy".
The top ten nationalities receiving citizenship this week are the United Kingdom (410), Poland (331), India (321), Romania (279), Pakistan (202), Brazil (201), Nigeria (177), Syrian Arab Republic (136), Philippines (126), and the United States of America (100).
The greatest number of applicants per county were from Co Dublin (1,667), Co Cork (368), and Co Galway (167), seven each from Co Derry, Co Tyrone and Co Leitrim, while there were 2 applicants from Co. Armagh.
The Presiding Officer at today's ceremonies is the retired Judge Mary Irvine who administered the Declaration of Fidelity to the Irish Nation and Loyalty to the State.
Until 2011, citizenship was conferred at ordinary sittings in district courts, but large-scale ceremonies were introduced by then justice minister Alan Shatter to provide dignity and ceremony to the occasions.
Since 2018, these large-scale ceremonies have been held in the Gleneagle Hotel/INEC in Killarney.
There have been a total of 163 such ceremonies, with people from over 180 countries receiving their certificates of naturalisation.
Responding to a question last month in the Dáil on why the naturalisation ceremony is only held twice a year, Minister Harris said that in March 2023, the Department for Justice held a smaller ceremony in the RDS in Dublin where some 1,300 candidates became Irish citizens.
Mr Harris said this event was used to trial a new format and to test the feasibility of increasing the number of ceremonies annually.
He said the outcomes are currently being assessed.
