Vol. 534 No. 1
198 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason children under the age of 18 years must apply separately for naturalisation in view of the fact that applications were already submitted for them at the time of their parents' original application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10177/01]
Since the Deputy has not provided details of the particular case to which he is referring, I have set out below the general position with regard to naturalisation for persons under 18 years of age. Section 15(1) of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended in 1986, provides inter alia that an applicant for naturalisation must be of full age. Section 16 of the Act sets out a number of circumstances in which the conditions specified in section 15 can be waived. These include the following: (i) where the applicant is a parent or guardian acting on behalf of a minor of Irish descent or Irish associations, or (ii) where the applicant is a naturalised Irish citizen acting on behalf of a minor child of the applicant.
Accordingly, it is not the practice of my Department to require minor children to apply separately for a certificate of naturalisation in the circumstances outlined by the Deputy where the parent's application on behalf of the child comes within the ambit of section 16.
