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Citizenship Eligibility

  • 10-11-2021 1:27pm
    #1
    Inconspicuous
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 141 ✭✭


    Hello All,

    I never really frequent this forum and do not really know a lot about the Defence Forces. However, I read an interesting article about a Defence Forces captain that piqued my curiosity. The captain originally emigrated from Scotland to Ireland specifically to join the Defence Forces (which must be unusual in itself) in 2015 after learning that her EEA/EU citizenship made her eligible to join. As the UK has subsequently left the EU/EEA and the article indicates that Captain Barrett has yet to receive Irish citizenship, I'm just wondering if anyone would know what provisions are there in legislation / military dispensations etc to allow her to continue to serve while it would appear that she would be no longer eligible to be recruited/serve?

    What I'm more curious about is understanding if the eligibility rules around citizenship and joining the Defence Forces is set by primary legislation (i.e. the Oireachtas) or by the Defence Forces themselves and how/when they could be changed to accommodate unfortunate situations such as the consequences of the UK leaving the EU?

    Thanks

    The Article:

    https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/i-have-come-across-bad-attitudes-to-women-in-the-army-but-there-s-consequences-now-1.4723568



Comments

  • #2
    sparky42
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,102 ✭✭✭sparky42


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058217321/citizenship-eligibility

    She's British so she has no issue, just like Irish can serve in the UK military, she can continue to serve without issue due to the CTA. If she does want Irish citizenship I think she would have to follow the same procedures as others would but given she's been here since 2015 she should be fully eligible to apply for Irish citizenship now



  • #3
    Larbre34
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,718 ✭✭✭✭Larbre34


    There are a few politicians making a bit of noise about this, but I'm not sure where the linkage came from.

    Eligibility to serve and becoming a citizen are two entirely separate things and I don't know why anyone would try and associate the two. As Sparky said, citizenship is a very achievable ambition if you are settled in Ireland anyway, no matter what job you're doing.

    I wouldn't want anyone in the Defence Forces who sees their service only as a means to become a Citizen, but I'd support anyone in service to become a Citizens as well. Yes, being a DF member is service to nation, but its also a paid job and career like any other, though not like any other too, I guess. Good DF members will also make good citizens too, in time, but in the meantime, the process is there and its the same for everyone, which is the way it should be.



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