In general, there are three ways in which a person who is not a citizen of Ireland can obtain Irish citizenship; by descent (foreign births registration), by naturalisation or by marriage to an Irish citizen (post-nuptial citizenship).
There does not appear to be a record of applications for naturalisation or post-nuptial citizenship having been received in my Department from or on behalf of the persons detailed and the Department of Foreign Affairs, which administers foreign births registration, has confirmed that there is no record of applications having been received in that Department.
The conditions governing the acquisition of Irish citizenship through the three methods mentioned above are set out below and if the persons detailed are satisfied that they fulfil the criteria under any of the headings, it is open to them to make an application to my Department or to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Descent
A person whose mother or father was born in Ireland is automatically an Irish citizen. A person whose grandfather or grandmother, but not his or her parents, was born in Ireland may become an Irish citizen by registering in the foreign births register (FBR) at an Irish Embassy or consular office or at the Department of Foreign Affairs. There are also certain instances whereby a person can obtain Irish citizenship through his or her great-grandfather or great-grandmother. The following table sets out the position —