Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC), which is the only NI local authority with the responsibility for the ceremony, processed over 1,000 new citizens last year. Citizenship ceremonies had been moved to the council HQ of Lagan Valley Island (LVI) in previous years due to castle refurbishment works and the Covid pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
A council officer said: “LCCC has the privilege of being the only council in NI with the responsibility for conducting citizenship ceremonies for those people who wish to become British citizens. We deliver this service on behalf of the UK Home Office. “In an average year 600 citizens attend around 20 ceremonies and demand is increasing.
In 2023/24 we processed 1,019 citizens. “There is now a desire to see all citizenship ceremonies return to the original location of Hillsborough Castle. "Engagement has been ongoing with HRP (Historic Royal Palaces) and with His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenants as we have worked through logistical issues of moving the ceremonies back to Hillsborough Castle.
Advertisement Advertisement “There will be some flexibility to host the events at LVI where dates cannot be accommodated at Hillsborough Castle from October 2024.” Castlereagh East UUP Alderman, Hazel Legge added: “I would like to support and propose this recommendation. “I have attended citizenshi.