asked the Minister for Justice if he will take the necessary steps to ensure that the same rights to Irish citizenship will be enjoyed by the foreign spouse of an Irishwoman, as are at present enjoyed by the foreign spouse of an Irishman.
Written Answers. - Citizenship Rights.
126.
While the present law could be described in the way the question implicitly describes, it could also be described as a law that gives a privilege to women who are married to Irish citizens which it does not give to men who are married to Irish citizens. I understand that the history or background of the provision favours this latter perspective. For instance, the United Nations Convention on the Nationality of Married Women, which was being drafted at the time of the enactment of the 1956 Act and which this country has ratified, provides for specially favourable procedures for the naturalisation of married women.
Having said that, my attitude is that I favour equality of statutory rights in this matter and I am having the matter examined on that basis with a view to making recommendations to the Government. I should, however, make it clear that a number of options other than that implied in the question are possible within the framework of a policy based on equality. In deciding which of those options I should recommend, account will of course have to be taken of a number of factors, including international norms. For that reason, and because any proposal to amend the citizenship laws will probably give rise to suggestions for other amendments as well, it is likely to take some more time to deal with the matter than might at first sight seem necessary, but I will give it as much priority as possible.