Obtaining Irish citizenship can be a long process, and with new changes introduced in 2024, it can be challenging to stay updated on the most efficient way to become an Irish citizen.

We’re going to outline the key changes to Irish citizenship 2024 to ensure you are well prepared to begin the application process. An even better way to prepare would be to seek out an Irish immigration lawyer who can support you every step of the way with your Irish citizenship application. 

Overview of Irish Citizenship 2024

To obtain Irish citizenship in 2024, applicants must have spent a certain amount of time in Ireland (known as reckonable residence). They can then apply for naturalisation, which means gaining the same immigration status and rights as an Irish citizen.

Another option is to apply for citizenship via Irish parentage, associations, or marriage to an Irish citizen (this requires the applicant to be legally residing in Ireland).

Once Irish citizenship has been approved, the applicant is free to apply for an Irish passport, and has full unrestricted access to State freedoms, just like any Irish-born individual.

Irish Citizenship Requirements

The reckonable residence period is 5 years, meaning Irish citizenship applicants must have lived in Ireland for at least 5 years before filing their application. They must also be able to prove they have spent one year of continuous residence in Ireland immediately before the application date.

Not all time spent in Ireland will necessarily count towards the 5-year rule. Each applicant must check that they are eligible based on the type of visa they currently hold.

The only exceptions to the 5-year rule are spouses of Irish citizens and refugees, as both groups are eligible for citizenship after three years of reckonable residence.

As well as valid reckonable residence, applicants must prove that they:

• Are at least 18 years old
• Can demonstrate good character (this includes not having a criminal record and not having a history of breaching stamp, visa or permit conditions)
• Will make a declaration of loyalty to Ireland, declaring their commitment to respect and observe the rule of law in the State and its democratic values in the official citizenship ceremony

A set of documents must also be provided, and these are:

• Certified copy of birth certificate
• Certified copy of current in-date Irish Residence Permit/Gardia National Immigration Bureau Card
• Valid passport with a copy of the biometric page
• Two recent colour passport-sized photographs (date and signature must be on the back of each photograph)
• Copies of bank statements for all bank accounts for at least three of the past six months
• Certified copy of marriage/civil partnership certificate
• Copy of completed online residency checker
• Letter from current employer showing the start date of employment
• Copy of permission to remain letters issued by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service
• Copies of three payslips from within the last six months and a P60 (or tax statement from the Revenue Commissioners for each year of residence)

Irish Citizenship Application Form 2024

The online Irish citizenship application form 2024 must be submitted to the relevant application office, along with the supporting documents. 

There is a non-refundable fee of  €175 to apply for Irish citizenship. Successful applicants will also have to pay for their official Certificate of Naturalisation, which costs €950 for adults and €200 for minors or widows/widowers/surviving civil partners of Irish citizens. Recognised refugees or individuals deemed ‘stateless’ do not have to pay the fee.

Individuals whose applications are approved will be asked to attend a citizenship ceremony to mark the start of their journey as an Irish citizen. Immigration lawyers can help prepare their clients for these ceremonies, detailing the events that will occur and the administration required prior to the event.

What are the 2024 Changes in Irish Immigration Law for Citizenship?

In 2024, the Irish citizenship process has been modernised through an online immigration self-service portal that applicants can use to manage their citizenship application.

Through the portal, candidates can schedule registration appointments to kickstart the process of obtaining Irish citizenship, as well as rearranging existing appointments. This gives candidates greater control over their citizenship journey.

There is now also a scorecard system that measures an applicant’s suitability for naturalisation. A minimum score of 150 is needed in both identification and residency to qualify for Irish citizenship.

How Long Does it Take to Become an Irish Citizen in 2024?

The majority of Irish citizenship applications are processed within 19 months. 

However, applicants should allocate more time to the application process, given that the 19-month period does not include research, gathering documents, and all other preparations that must be made before the application is submitted.

How an Immigration Lawyer Can Help

Immigration law is changing every year, and the best way to ensure you are updated on the Irish citizenship rules is to meet with an immigration lawyer. They will help you to submit an application that is highly accurate and reflects any new changes to legislation.

Immigration lawyers can also support you through the application process, ensuring you submit the right forms at the right time, and that you understand what is being asked of you in every stage of the process. 

Conclusion

Despite the changes to Irish citizenship in 2024, applying for naturalisation can be a smooth process if you work with a qualified immigration solicitor. 

No matter which country you are applying from, if you go into the process with an optimistic mindset and knowledge passed on from an immigration expert, you are in the best position to successfully gain Irish citizenship.

It’s fair to say that no matter where you look, the landscape of IT management is undergoing a radical transformation. 

Gone are the days when businesses could rely on manual monitoring and reactive problem-solving to maintain their technology infrastructure. Today’s digital operations demand a much more sophisticated approach, and automated IT monitoring and management systems are leading this evolution in IT.

Automation Innovation: How tech advances are revolutionising IT management

Traditional IT management approaches are becoming increasingly inadequate, even obsolete, in today’s fast-paced, increasingly connected, increasingly global business environment. 

Manual monitoring, reactive troubleshooting, and the constant juggling of multiple management tools are not just inefficient — they’re becoming actively detrimental to business operations.

The rise of automated IT management solutions, particularly through the best RMM software — or Remote Monitoring and Management systems — represents a fundamental shift in how businesses handle their technology infrastructure. 

These platforms combine monitoring, management, and automation capabilities into unified systems that can transform IT operations from a constant challenge into a strategic advantage.

Why traditional IT management falls short

The limitations of traditional IT management approaches are becoming increasingly apparent:

• Manual monitoring misses critical issues until they impact operations
• Reactive problem-solving leads to unnecessary downtime
• Multiple disconnected tools create efficiency gaps
• Limited visibility across systems increases security risks
• Rising costs of maintaining multiple point solutions
• Increasing complexity of hybrid work environments

Research indicates that organisations using traditional IT management methods spend up to 70% of their IT budget just maintaining existing systems, never mind innovating or upgrading.

The rise of AI-powered automation

Modern IT management platforms include artificial intelligence to revolutionise how businesses handle their technology infrastructure. 

These systems offer a wide range of upsides, including the ability to predict and prevent problems before they occur, resolve common issues automatically and without human intervention, provide real-time insights across all systems and secure systems proactively rather than reactively.

Key components of modern IT management

Automated monitoring and alerting

Modern systems continuously monitor all aspects of IT infrastructure, from servers and workstations to network devices and cloud services. 

Among the benefits of AI-powered systems are detecting unusual patterns that might indicate problems; predicting potential failures before they occur; learning from historical data to improve accuracy; automatically escalating critical issues and only generating alerts for other significant issues, thereby saving valuable time and resources.

Smart patch management

Keeping systems updated is crucial for security and performance. Automated patch management systems offer several benefits, such as:

• Identifying necessary updates across all systems
• Testing patches in isolated environments
• Deploying updates during off-hours
• Rolling back problematic updates automatically
• Tracking patch compliance across the organisation

Intelligent security management

Security threats are evolving rapidly, making manual security management increasingly risky. Modern automated systems should provide a combination of some or all of real-time threat detection and response; automated security patch deployment; continuous compliance monitoring; integrated backup and recovery; and zero-trust security enforcement.

The business impact of automated IT management

The transition to automated IT management represents more than just a technology upgrade—it’s a fundamental shift in how businesses, including businesses in Galway and the broader Midwest region, operate and compete. Recent industry studies have revealed impressive improvements across multiple business dimensions, with organisations typically seeing:

• 60% reduction in system downtime
• 40% decrease in IT management costs
• 75% faster problem resolution
• 50% reduction in security incidents
• 30% improvement in IT staff productivity

However, statistics only tell part of the story. The real-world impact of automated IT management reaches far deeper into business operations, from financial benefits to productivity and from security to better customer experience.

Financial benefits

The financial impact extends well beyond direct cost savings. Organisations implementing these systems report significant reductions in operational costs through decreased staff overtime and fewer emergency repairs, while the predictive maintenance capabilities of modern IT management systems help prevent costly system failures before they occur.

Equipment lifespan typically increases by 20-30% through proactive maintenance, while energy costs often decrease by up to 25% through optimised system management. Perhaps most importantly, improved visibility into IT operations enables more accurate budgeting and forecasting, helping businesses of all sizes make smarter technology investments.

Productivity enhancements

Modern IT management solutions dramatically transform workforce productivity across all levels of the organisation. IT teams find themselves freed from routine maintenance tasks, allowing them to focus on strategic initiatives that drive business growth. The average IT department reports spending 60% less time on manual monitoring and basic troubleshooting after implementing automated solutions.

Security improvements

Given the increasing rate of cyber incidents, security enhancements provided by automated IT management have become invaluable. Real-time threat detection and response capabilities create a robust defence against cyber threats. Organisations report that automated systems identify and respond to potential security incidents an average of 96% faster than manual monitoring.

Customer experience impact

The improvements in IT management directly translate to enhanced customer experiences. System stability and performance directly affect customer satisfaction, particularly in digital services. Organisations using automated IT management report 99.9% uptime for customer-facing applications, compared to the industry average of 98.5%.

Transaction errors decrease by an average of 45%, while system performance during peak times improves by up to 60%. This reliability creates a competitive advantage in markets where customer experience increasingly depends on digital service quality.

Is your business ready for automation?

Determining if your business is ready for automated IT management requires evaluating several factors. 

If you are strongly considering an upgrade in this area, you should ask a number of questions. In some key areas.

For example, the complexity of your infrastructure: How many devices and systems do you manage? Are your systems primarily on-premise, cloud-based, or hybrid? Do you support remote workers?

Other questions to ask include: Are you experiencing frequent system downtime in your current systems? Do routine IT tasks consume too much staff time? Are security concerns keeping you awake at night? Is your IT budget growing faster than your business?

Finally, and looking to the future, you should also consider: Are new technology initiatives planned or are you planning to expand operations or add remote workers in the near future? 

Making the transition

Transitioning to automated IT management doesn’t have to be disruptive. Most businesses can implement modern solutions gradually:

1. Start with assessment

• Evaluate current systems and processes
• Identify critical pain points
• Define success metrics

2. Choose the right solution

• Look for unified platforms rather than point solutions
• Ensure scalability matches growth plans
• Verify integration capabilities with existing systems

3. Plan the implementation

• Begin with critical systems
• Train staff progressively
• Monitor and adjust based on results

Looking ahead

The future of IT management is clearly moving toward increased automation and AI-powered solutions, and businesses that adapt quickly are certain to gain significant advantages in efficiency, security, and cost management.

Given expected rates of progression in areas such as remote work and systems complexity,  automated IT management will become not just an advantage but a necessity for competitive businesses. The question is no longer whether to automate IT management. The right question is how quickly you can implement it effectively.

AI, automation, and unified management platforms creates opportunities for businesses to transform their IT operations from a cost centre into a strategic advantage. 

Small businesses and enterprises who embrace this transformation early will be best positioned to thrive into the increasingly digitised future.