What Is The Current Politics In Ireland?

Politics of Ireland: What are the residential rules relating to being able to run for the Irish Presidency?

• (Just in case you are worried I am not considering running)

• Answer:

  There are no residential rules applying to running for the office of Irish President (that I am aware of - I have no legal training). The sole requirement of candidacy is: "Every citizen of Ireland who has reached the age of 35 years is eligible for election to the office of President" [1]. Thus you have the explanation for how Martin McGuiness and Dana Scallon (both normally resident in the United Kingdom) were eligible to run for the office in the recent 2011 elections. In terms of becoming a citizen of Ireland, if you do not qualify via your parents' citizenship or other methods, you can apply for naturalisation after 5 years legal residence in the Republic (this is, for example, how my partner became an Irish citizen) [2]. Or you could bribe an Irish prime minister [3]. [1] http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/Voting/PublicationsDocuments/FileDownLoad,1866,en.pdf%5B2%5D http://www.movetoireland.com/movepag/pascitzn.htm [3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khalid_bin_Mahfouz