Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 22 Nov 2001

Vol. 544 No. 5

Written Answers. - Passport Applications.

Willie Penrose

Ceist:

160 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps required for a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath to obtain an Irish passport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29367/01]

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

The position is that a non-national must first obtain Irish citizenship before being eligible to hold an Irish passport. I have set out below some general information about the various ways a non-national can acquire Irish citizenship.

A person whose father or mother was an Irish citizen at the time of his/her birth is an Irish citizen from birth. A person whose grandparent was born in Ireland may become an Irish citizen by registering in the foreign births register at an Irish embassy or consular office or at the Department of Foreign Affairs. A person whose great-grandparent was born in Ireland may register for Irish citizenship provided that their parent had registered in the foreign births register by the time of the person's birth.

A non-national married to a person who is an Irish citizen – otherwise than by naturalisation, post-nuptial declaration or honorary citizenship – may accept Irish citizenship as his or her post-nuptial citizenship by lodging a declaration not earlier than three years from the date of the marriage or three years from the date the applicant's spouse became an Irish citizen through regis tration in the foreign births register, whichever is the later.

The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended in 1986, provides that the Minister for Justice may grant a certificate of naturalisation at his/her absolute discretion. The applicant has to fulfil certain statutory requirements including having a total of five years residency in the State in the nine year period preceding the date of the application. The Act also empowers the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to dispense with the statutory conditions in whole or in part, in certain specific circumstances, for example if the applicant is of Irish descent or has Irish associations.

In view of his length of residency in the State, it appears that the person in question is eligible to apply for naturalisation and I have asked officials in the citizenship section of my Department to send the necessary forms to the Deputy for transmission to the individual concerned. If the person referred to considers that he may qualify for Irish citizenship in one of the other ways set out above, he can obtain further information, and the relevant forms, by telephoning the citizenship helpline, Telephone No. 01-602 8202, on any Tuesday and Thursday morning between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 12.30 p.m.