Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 January 2025
41. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of Irish citizens who have sought permission pursuant to Article 40.2.2 of the Constitution to receive titles of nobility or other honours; and the number of persons who have been granted or refused such permission. [1071/25]
View answerArticle 40.2.2 of the Constitution states that “No title of nobility or of honour may be accepted by any citizen except with the prior approval of the Government.” The reference to "title of nobility or of honour" has been interpreted, in accordance with advice from the Attorney General, as referring to honours conferred by or on behalf of a sovereign authority, the recipients of which become entitled, by the law or custom of the foreign State in question, to use prefixes to their names such as “Sir”, “Dame”, “Lord” or "Marquis”.
It is these types of award that are considered by Government. If a foreign Government wishes to make any such award to an Irish citizen, the standard practice is that the relevant accredited diplomatic mission would notify my Department in advance of the conferral of the award. It is noted that rights, privileges or dignities deriving from the award of a title of nobility or honour subsist solely within the jurisdiction conferring it and any other jurisdiction that may recognise rights, privileges or dignities as flowing from it. Under Irish law, such a title has no significance in terms of conferring rights, entitlements or dignities.
In addition, awards that provide for the use of letters or marks of distinction after one's name or involve the presentation of medals, ribbons or academic honours are not regarded as conferring a title of nobility or of honour in this context.
Based on a review of records held by my Department and compiled in the time available, the Government has considered 22 such awards in the period between December 2000 and November 2024. Information prior to this period was not possible to obtain in the time available.
The Government approved twelve of these awards. In relation to the remaining ten awards, the honours in question were extended to the Irish citizens concerned before the conferral was brought to the attention of the Government. No facility exists for retrospective approval by the Government. However, my Department regularly reminds the relevant authorities that the prior approval of the Government should be sought where awards of the nature outlined in Article 40.2.2 of the Constitution are to be conferred on an Irish citizen.
