Written answers

Wednesday, 18 June 2008

Department of Foreign Affairs

Northern Ireland Issues

9:00 pm

Photo of Billy TimminsBilly Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of people born in Northern Ireland who have applied for Irish citizenship since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement to 31 May 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23888/08]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Good Friday Agreement recognises the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they may so choose, and accordingly confirms their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship.

In addition, persons born on the Island of Ireland before 1 January 2005 are automatically entitled to Irish citizenship. In the case of persons born after that date, their citizenship is determined by the citizenship or residency status on the island of one parent, in accordance with the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 2004. In qualifying for Irish citizenship, a person is then entitled to apply for an Irish Passport.

Some 400,000 passports have been issued, since the signing of the Good Friday agreement on 10 April, 1998, to applicants born in Northern Ireland.

Such applications have been increasing year on year, with some 60,000 passports issuing to persons born in Northern Ireland in 2007 compared to some 30,000 in 2002. The majority of Northern Ireland applications are made using the Northern Ireland Express Post Service (NIPX) which is available in some 70 Post Offices throughout the area.

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