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Minister Flanagan welcomes new Irish citizens at Citizenship Ceremony in National Concert Hall

It is a great privilege for me to be here with you today in the National Concert Hall as together with your family and friends we all celebrate this major event in your life. It’s a wonderful venue, and for all of you, it’s a wonderful day – the one on which Irish citizenship will be formally conferred on you during a simple but solemn ceremony. Becoming a citizen of this country, which is now your country, means that you will become part of, and contributors to, our democracy and constitutional principles – principles which as a Minister of this Government I have the honour to uphold.​

Becoming a citizen of Ireland means much more than having an Irish passport or being able to vote. These, of course, are very important but at a much deeper level you are affirming your commitment to the values we cherish most and which are rooted in our history. In so doing you are also affirming your support for our sense of mutual responsibility to one another as citizens of this country. By being citizens you are part of a common thread which unites and binds all of us. You are about to make solemn pledges to our nation, to its values and to your fellow citizens as you go forward from here today as our newest citizens. In turn by our laws and our traditions we commit to continue to recognise the personal rights of you as individuals in a proud nation which greatly values inclusion, tolerance and diversity.​

I wish to congratulate you, one and all, on becoming our newest Irish citizens – and to welcome you to our national family.​

Since 2011 and the Introduction of Citizenship Ceremonies, Ireland has handed out more than 114,000 Citizenships to people from around the world.This news was disclosed in a press statement from MerrionStreet earlier yesterday.Published on Monday 10th September 2018The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD, has today congratulated some 480 new Irish citizens originating from 68 countries at a Citizenship Ceremony in the National Concert Hall in Dublin.Addressing the new citizens, Minister Flanagan said:The Declaration of Fidelity to the Irish Nation and Loyalty to the State was administered by the Presiding Officer, retired District Court Judge Paddy McMahon. The new citizens also undertook to faithfully observe the law of the State and respect its democratic values.The Minister added: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, a total of 135 Citizenship Ceremonies have now been held at which a total of almost 86,000 applicants have received their Certificates of Naturalisation. Including minors, who are not required to attend a ceremony, the total granted Irish citizenship is just over 114,000. In total, nationals of 181 different countries have become Irish citizens since 2011.The Minister concluded: