Legal experts are confident an appeal will be launched against a controversial High Court ruling that requires residents who apply for Irish citizenship, to remain in Ireland for a year. The shock decision means that people can't leave the country for even one day - before now, six weeks discretion was used in certain circumstances. Mr Justice Max Barrett ruled the “continuous residence” requirement in citizenship applications means an applicant for naturalisation must have “unbroken” residence in the State for an entire year immediately before the date of their application. "The interpretation is excessively literal and restrictive. "It is hoped that other judges on appeal wouldn't hold that legal interpretation," she added.

Source: Irish Examiner July 18, 2019 09:22 UTC