Irish Citizenships Available

Are you of Irish Heritage?  Do you have the telltale freckles and red hair or black hair and blue eyes?  Do you call your Mother "ma" and your Father "da"?  If so, a recent article in a Dublin newspaper announced the Irish government plans to introduce a certificate of Irish heritage for the up to 70 million people of Irish descent around the world who do not qualify for citizenship.

Michael Martin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, said he decided to proceed with the initiative, which was first approved last year by the Global Irish Economic Forum.  Leave it to the Irish to come up with such a revenue enhancement program.

The certificates will be issued by a third party agency acting under the licence from the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is considering charging a fee for each document issued.  The program is not designed to raise a significant amount of revenue and the price to be charged as yet to be determined. 

The exact size of such a market for heritage certificates is unknown but it is anticipated that  many Irish emigrants would wish to buy one to display in their homes or as a gift to another family member.  Irish heritage and/or ancestral origins can be determined by a simple DNA Test at your local DNA collector's office.  In addition to Paternity and other biological test confirmation, your local DNA collector also participates in today's growing hobby of genealogical tracing and ancestral root discovery via non-invasive DNA test. If you contact your local DNA collector, be sure to ask for your ancestral map along with your DNA test to confirm your Irish heritage. 

Some members of the Irish government were critical of the disconnection between Ireland and the members of the diaspora, particularly those unable to qualify for citizenship by virture of having a parent or grandparent born in Ireland.  The forum also highlighted the role that the emigrant network could play iin helping Ireland improves its economic fortunes and global competitive edge.  The Irish do know how to unite to benefit themselves.   

The Irish diaspora is not limited to Irish citizens living in Ireland and abroad but  instead should encompass all those who believe they are of Irish descent and feel a sense of affinity with Ireland.

Certificate processing will be available later this year, according to the Minister.  One incentive to participate in the certification process is to offer discounts to those holding the certificates while visiting Ireland as tourists.