That eligibility should be first and foremost about the want and desire to play for a country obviously the papers and qualification are involved in the process and procedure but the kernel of eligibility in the sense being able to play for ireland is desire. The rest will follow.
its unlikely we will get an iranian with desire to play for ireland who could not in fact because he didn't have the papers for example.
as fans and irishmen that's how we should see eligibility. granted I'm all for shoe-Horning in a paul Gascoigne or potential tally Dan crowley :D