New laws go into effect this weekend that will require foreign spouses of Irish nationals to live in the country for three years before they can become Irish citizens.
Changes to the Nationality and Citizenship Act are aimed at cracking down on marriages of convenience, which permit foreigners to stay permanently in Ireland and other EU member states.
From tomorrow, foreigners wedded to Irish citizens will have to prove that they have lived in Ireland for three of the previous five years, and spent the last year continuously in the Republic or in Northern Ireland.
Foreign spouses will also have to be of "good conduct," closing a loophole which, for instance, permitted one foreign spouse - an alleged associate of terrorists - to become Irish after deportation from another EU nation.
The Minister of Justice, Mr Michael McDowell, said this week that he was confident that the changes "will further diminish the scope for abuse".
AFP