'I haven't been home for over five years': Undocumented get chance to come out of the shadows

Once-off scheme will give long-term undocumented persons without a current permission to remain in Ireland the chance to regularise their status and means they will not have to fear every knock at the door, writes Sean Murray

As many as 15,000-17,000 undocumented migrants could be living in Ireland according to some estimates.

Quite unusually for a Government statement, especially in current times, the announcement from Justice Minister Helen McEntee of a “once-in-a-generation scheme” on 3 December 2021 was welcomed in all quarters.

This once-off scheme would give long-term undocumented persons without a current permission to remain in Ireland the chance to regularise their status, access the labour market and begin their path to citizenship.