19,000 still waiting to receive Irish citizenship

APPROXIMATELY 19,000 people are still waiting to become naturalised Irish citizens, according to figures from the Department of Justice.

The news comes as the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it will be officially launching its global Certificate of Irish Heritage scheme within the next month, ahead of the second global Irish Economic Forum, to be held at Dublin Castle on October 7 and October 8.

Earlier this year the Irish Examiner revealed that 6,394 people had become Irish citizens in 2010, but the latest figures show that in the first eight months of this year an even greater number, 7,447 people, have been awarded Irish citizenship.