Ireland has launched a “once-in-a-generation” amnesty for undocumented migrants that will grant many people in the country legal residency for the first time.
People who have been living in Ireland illegally for at least four years, including those with an existing deportation order, will be allowed to apply for the scheme and become regularised residents, with full access to jobs and a pathway to becoming Irish citizens.
And it will be easier for families with children under 18 and asylum seekers to take advantage of the amnesty – with lower requirements for them to have lived in the country of three years and two years respectively.
Up to 17,000 people are expected to benefit from the programme, which the Immigrant Council of Ireland said would be “profoundly transformative to the lives of thousands of individuals and families, including children born here in Ireland who have never known any other home”.
Announcing the opening of the amnesty, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said: “I firmly believe this scheme will improve the lives of thousands of people across the country who contribute to our society, enrich our culture and work in our economy but unfortunately still live in the legal shadows.”
She added: “People come to Ireland to make a better life for themselves and their families, and they can find themselves undocumented for many reasons.
“This scheme will provide an opportunity for those who meet its criteria to remain and reside in the State and to become part of mainstream Irish society rather than living on its margins.”
The scheme has been broadly welcomed by migrants’ rights organisations, which have long campaigned for an amnesty – but there has been some criticism of the relatively high application fees of €700 (£582) for a family and €550 (£458) for an individual.
Immigrant Council of Ireland chief executive Brian Killoran said that “many of the potential applicants of the scheme may struggle with the cost of the fees given the shadow nature of their employment conditions”. The amnesty will be in effect for six months.
World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 8 February 2022 Starlings overfly Zaragoza, Spain EPA World news in pictures 7 February 2022 Performers dressed as superhero characters pose with a child receiving the Pfizer-BioNtech Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11 at a gym in San Juan City, suburban Manila AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 6 February 2022 Cars stop before a flooded area, after Cyclone Batsirai made landfall, on a road in Vohiparara, Madagascar Reuters World news in pictures 5 February 2022 A woman carries a child as locals who were displaced by Cyclone Ana find refuge in an evacuation centre at the West Ankorondrano neighbourhood, Madagascar Reuters World news in pictures 4 February 2022 Performers take part in the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, at the National Stadium, known as the Bird’s Nest, in Beijing AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 3 February 2022 Italian Air Force aerobatic display team, the Frecce Tricolori, perform during the inauguration of the president of the Italian Republic, in Rome. Sergio Mattarella was elected for a second term EPA World news in pictures 2 February 2022 Italian athletes during training ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics Reuters World news in pictures 1 February 2022 People are sprayed with foam at an amusement park as part of holiday festivities on the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Tiger in Yogyakarta AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 31 January 2022 Arterial roads are lit up as morning commuters drive along at dawn in western Beijing ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 30 January 2022 Rafael Nadal reacts after beating Daniil Medvedev in the men’s singles Australian Open final. In doing so, the Spaniard won a record-breaking 21st grand slam title AFP/Getty World news in pictures 29 January 2022 A worker cleans up crude oil on Mae Ram Phueng beach following a spill caused by a leak in an undersea pipeline owned by Star Petroleum Refining Public Company Limited in Rayong, Thailand Getty World news in pictures 28 January 2022 Medical staff in personal protective equipment are seen at a speed skating training session for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Reuters World news in pictures 27 January 2022 Los Angeles sculptor Dan Medina has honored the anniversary of the deaths of Kobe and Gigi Bryant along with seven other passengers by placing a temporary statue of the two where their helicopter crashed two years ago today in Calabasas, California REUTERS World news in pictures 26 January 2022 The Central Reserve Police Force during the 73rd Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India EPA World news in pictures 25 January 2022 A winter swimming enthusiast dives into a partly frozen lake in a partly frozen lake in Shenyang, in northeastern China’s Liaoning province AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 24 January 2022 A newlywed couple from the US enjoys a snowfall during a photo shooting near the Acropolis in Athens AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 23 January 2022 Anti-vaccine and mask activists act out getting a vaccine during a ‘Defeat the Mandates’ rally on the National Mall in Washington, DC, USA EPA World news in pictures 22 January 2022 Horse patrol of the 2nd Lublin Territorial Defense Brigade on the border with Belarus in Wlodawa, Poland EPA World news in pictures 21 January 2022 Carlos Hebert Plante dives into freezing waters to use his boogie board as extreme cold weather hits Montreal, Quebec, Canada Reuters World news in pictures 20 January 2022 Children wearing traditional uniform take part in the children’s ‘Tamborrada’ drum event to mark San Sebastian patron saint’s Day, in Basque Country, northern Spain EPA World news in pictures 19 January 2022 A woman poses for a picture near an ice hole as a man takes a dip during celebrations of the Orthodox Christian feast of Epiphany in the settlement of Ivanovskoye in the Moscow region, Russia REUTERS World news in pictures 18 January 2022 Soldiers march during celebrations to mark Royal Thai Armed Forces Day at Chulabhorn Camp in the southern Thailand province of Narathiwat AFP/Getty World news in pictures 17 January 2022 Novak Djokovic prepares to take his seat on a plane to Belgrade, in Dubai, after losing his bid to stay in Australia to defend his Australian Open title despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19 AP World news in pictures 16 January 2022 A dog drinks water from a tap on Bondi Beach in Sydney Getty World news in pictures 15 January 2022 The Patrouille Suisse jets perform prior to the Men’s Downhill race at the Fis Alpine Skiing World Cup in Wengen, Switzerland EPA World news in pictures 14 January 2022 Hindu devotees take a dip in the waters of river Narmada in Budhni, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, a day considered to be of great religious significance in Hindu mythology AFP/Getty World news in pictures 13 January 2022 Kuwait City’s al-Hamra tower (right), the headquarters of The National Bank of Kuwait (centre) and the al-Rayah tower (left), caught in heavy fog AFP/Getty World news in pictures 12 January 2022 An Ivory Coast supporter cheers before the group Africa Cup of Nations match between Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast at Stade de Japoma in Douala AFP/Getty World news in pictures 11 January 2022 A shopkeeper poses for a photo in front of a shop selling decorations in the old quarter of Hanoi ahead of the Lunar New Year or Tet holiday AFP/Getty World news in pictures 10 January 2022 Members of the Serbian community march in Melbourne, Australia, in support of tennis player Novak Djokovic, who was being kept in an immigration detention center after his visa was revoked upon landing in the country EPA World news in pictures 9 January 2022 A firefighter of Minas Gerais state seeks for victms after a wall of rock collapsed on top of motor boats below a waterfall in Capitolio, in Minas Gerais state, Brazil Reuters World news in pictures 8 January 2022 Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces, the military reserve of the Ukrainian Armes Forces walk on a trench on the frontline with Russia-backed separatists near to Avdiivka, Donetsk, southeastern Ukraine AFP/Getty World news in pictures 7 January 2022 Christian Lavieille and co-driver Johnny Aubert compete during the Stage 6 of the Dakar 2021 near the Saudi capital Riyadh AFP/Getty World news in pictures 6 January 2022 A man shows off riding skills during Epiphany celebrations in the village of Pietrosani, Romania AP World news in pictures 5 January 2022 A woman and a nun look toward the north, near the demilitarised zone which separates the two Koreas REUTERS World news in pictures 4 January 2022 Tourists visit the Taj Mahal amidst fog in Agra AFP/Getty World news in pictures 3 January 2022 German ski jumper Markus Eisenbichler in action during training for the Four Hills Tournament in Innsbruck, Austria REUTERS World news in pictures 2 January 2022 A firefighter looks at the smoke rising after a suspected arson in the Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa Reuters World news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Year’s Eve fireworks erupt over Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge and Opera House during the fireworks show AFP/Getty World news in pictures 31 December 2021 A winter swimming enthusiast skates on a frozen lake in Shenyang, in northeastern China’s Liaoning AFP/Getty World news in pictures 30 December 2021 A Sadhu or a Hindu holyman smokes at Sangam, the confluence of rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati ahead of the Magh Mela festival in Allahabad, India AFP/Getty World news in pictures 29 December 2021 A woman takes a picture of ice-covered vehicles unloaded from the cargo ship Sun Rio, which was caught in severe weather conditions in the Sea of Japan, in the port of Vladivostok, Russia REUTERS World news in pictures 28 December 2021 Revellers dressed in mock military garb take part in the “Els Enfarinats” battle in the southeastern Spanish town of Ibi where they throw egg and flour at each other AFP via Getty Images World news in pictures 27 December 2021 A man crosses a street in Frankfurt, Germany, on a rainy and foggy morning AP World news in pictures 26 December 2021 A fisherman ties up a black flag on his boat to pay homage to the victims of the 2004 tsunami at Pattinapakkam Beach in Chennai, India AFP/Getty World news in pictures 25 December 2021 A diver dressed as Father Christmas holds a Christmas cake during a show at the Sunshine Aquarium in Tokyo EPA World news in pictures 24 December 2021 An Afghan man walks past people watching Buzkashi, a central Asian sport in which horse-mounted players attempt to place a decapitated animal carcass in a goal, in Mazar-i-Sharif AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 December 2021 Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking during his annual news conference in Moscow AP World news in pictures 22 December 2021 The Piton de la Fournaise volcano on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion erupted for the second time of the year at 3.30am AFP/Getty World news in pictures 21 December 2021 Geese fly overhead as the first winter frost blankets the fields in Oudeland van Strijen, The Netherlands ANP/AFP/Getty
Tjanasi Potso, chairperson of Justice for Undocumented group said: “This scheme will allow us to live securely in our homes, no longer in fear that the next knock at the door will be someone to take us away.
“We can stand up for our rights at work, our children can grow up safely, and we can visit our families for the first time in many years. We are grateful to all the supporters and allies who have campaigned with us.”
The approach is in contrast to that taken across the Irish Sea in the UK, where the government has launched strict crackdowns on undocumented people, in the name of fighting “illegal immigration”. Priti Patel’s new immigration and borders bill has been accused by lawyers of breaching international and domestic rights in 10 different ways.
Boris Johnson said in March last year that he might be open to an amnesty for some people who have been in the UK illegally for more than 15 years, though the policy has yet to surface.
