Immigrants welcome but must accept our rules

THERE are few points in human interaction where belief systems confront each other as regularly or as sharply as in the issues surrounding immigration or the granting of citizenship to foreign nationals.

In the great majority of instances this is a mutually enriching process where the new citizen brings energy and commitment to their new country and they get to share in the opportunity that new home might offer.

It is usually a positive process as the millions of people all around the world happy to celebrate their Irish roots will attest.

Equally, it would be dishonest to pretend that it is always so. It would be dishonest to pretend that we do not have values that we believe worth insisting on and defending. Hard-won values and privileges we expect prospective citizens to accept and honour to the extent that if a person cannot embrace them then that person excludes themselves from the possibility of becoming an Irish citizen.

Tolerance is foremost among those, be it directed towards gender equality, religious freedom, pluralism or the acceptance of the preeminence of our Constitution over all other sets of laws.

The tensions at this interface were seen dramatically recently when a man was denied French citizenship because he refused to allow his wife speak in public or leave home without his permission. This denial is being challenged to a higher court but the appeal will most likely fail because of precedent. Three years ago the French Supreme Administrative Court ruled in the Madame M case that those who choose to immigrate to France can be required to accept the fundamental values of the republic, including gender equality.

Many other European countries — Germany, Britain, Austria and Holland as well as others — have rules to protect their way of life, the structures and mores that shape their society. How could it be otherwise?

However, it is essential that these restrictions are applied in a way that honours the principles behind them and not in a racist or xenophobic way. It would be a cruelty beyond irony if tests of tolerance were applied to immigrants to reinforce intolerance or racism. The responsible authority, in this instance the Department of Justice, must ensure that all such requirements are applied even-handedly and without any kind of bias.

Yesterday, for the first time, the Irish State marked the granting of citizenship through a formal civic ceremony in Dublin Castle. Seventy-three people representing 24 nationalities and five continents were granted citizenship.

For myriad reasons our official response to immigrants has been too slow and yesterday’s pledge from Justice and Equality Minister Alan Shatter that the remaining 13,500 applications will be dealt with far more quickly is very welcome.

As our history tells us, immigration is a fact of life and likely to become even more so as populations increase faster than employment opportunities.

Let us welcome the 73 people who became Irish citizens yesterday and let us hope that those awaiting a decision on their application are given one quickly. But we should not be shy about insisting that prospective citizens accept the rules we already impose on each other.