241. Ireland’s Immigration Debate: Housing, Identity & Integration | Keire Murphy

Keire Murphy is a policy researcher, migration expert and public commentator. After spending four years conducting migration research at the Economic and Social Research Institute, she recently began working independently as a researcher, writer and podcaster.

In this long-form conversation, we examine Ireland’s changing population, the relationship between immigration and housing, labour shortages, citizenship, family reunification, integration and what it means to be Irish in an increasingly diverse country.

We also discuss:

• Why Ireland’s migrant population has changed
• Highly skilled immigration and the housing market
• Ireland’s two-tier economy
• The benefits and pressures created by population growth
• Assimilation versus multiculturalism
• Women’s rights and cultural differences
• Why parts of the left have avoided difficult immigration questions
• The Government’s changing approach to citizenship
• How Ireland might build a more cohesive national identity

Recorded on 10 September 2026.

CLARIFICATION: At the time of recording, the Department of Foreign Affairs passport guidance stated that guardian consent was not required if a child was married. Irish law does not permit marriage under the age of 18. That wording has since been removed from the Department’s webpage.

Sources and further information:

https://www.esri.ie/system/files/publications/RS184_0.pdf

CSO — Population and Migration Estimates, April 2026:
https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-pme/populationandmigrationestimatesapril2026/keyfindings/

Government citizenship proposals:
https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migration/press-releases/government-approval-secured-for-the-priority-drafting-of-the-irish-nationality-and-citizenship-amendment-bill-2026/

Family-reunification policy changes:
https://www.irishimmigration.ie/amendments-to-policy-on-non-eea-family-reunification/