Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2024
15. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his engagements with the Minister for Justice in relation to developing new guidelines in relation to the requirements for Irish association applications for citizenship based on Irish descent or association; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56424/23]
View answerEntitlement to Irish citizenship is determined by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 under which Irish citizenship may be obtained by birth, by descent, or by naturalisation. The Department of Justice is responsible for citizenship matters including citizenship by Irish association. My department engages regularly with the Department of Justice on matters relating to citizenship.
My Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR or Naturalisation.
Demand for Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. The service was also impacted by necessary Covid-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021 and the unprecedented demand for passports seen in 2022.
Foreign Birth Registration, by its nature, is a detailed and complex process, often involving official documentation relating to three generations and issued by several jurisdictions. Such documents take considerable time to validate.
FBR applications are currently being processed within the normal turnaround time of 8 months from receipt of all required supporting documents, a decrease in turnaround time of 75% from over two and a half years in 2022. There are no plans at this time to develop new guidelines in relation to requirements for FBR applications.
