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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 16 Jun 1998

Vol. 492 No. 4

Written Answers. - Citizenship Provisions.

Ceist:

295 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the anomaly in the granting of Irish citizenship whereby children born outside the State are refused citizenship if their parents, although full Irish citizens, were also born outside the State; the steps, if any, he will take to remedy this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14222/98]

John O'Donoghue

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I understand the Deputy's question relates to foreign births registration and I have, therefore, set out below the procedures governing this particular avenue to Irish citizenship.

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.

A

(Born in Ireland)

Irish citizen

B

(Child of A — born outside Ireland)

Irish citizen

C

(Child of B/grandchild of A — born outside Ireland)

Must register to obtain Irish citizenship

D

(Child of C/great grandchild of A — born outside Ireland)

May register for Irish citizen-ship, provided that “C” was an Irish citizen at the time of “D's” birth
The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1986, introduced a provision whereby registration in the FBR would henceforth grant citizenship from the date of registration only. Hence, the situation whereby the great-grandchild of an Irish-born person ("D") can only register as an Irish citizen if his-her parent ("C") had registered him-herself prior to the child's birth. There are no plans at present to amend this provison in the 1986 Act.
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