Inquiries concerning Irish citizenship by naturalisation are referred to the Department of Justice and are not the subject of Embassy interviews. I take it that the Deputy is referring to applications for citizenship by way of Post-Nuptial Declaration, which are processed by Irish missions abroad on behalf of the Department of Justice.
Two factors led to the present procedures being put in place at the London Embassy: (i) The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1986 tightened up the conditions under which the spouse of an Irish citizen can be accorded Irish citizenship by Post-Nuptial Declaration; (ii) Certain irregularities involving the granting of Irish citizenship were discovered at the London Embassy in 1987; these related mainly to false applications for Irish citizenship by way of Post-Nuptial Declaration.