Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 360: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a request to his Department regarding a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41171/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The person in question was born in Scotland to an Irish-born parent. He was therefore automatically an Irish citizen at birth.

In the year 2000, he renounced his Irish citizenship by lodging a declaration of alienage with the Irish Embassy in Berlin and surrendered his passport.

Under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts, a person born in the island of Ireland who has renounced Irish citizenship by making a declaration of alienage will remain entitled to be an Irish citizen. His or her Irish citizenship may be resumed by making a declaration of citizenship, in a form required by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

However, under these Acts this option is available only in cases where a person was born in the island of Ireland. Where, as in this case, a person is born outside of the island of Ireland, citizenship may be regained only through naturalisation.

The person in question submitted a declaration of citizenship to the Irish Embassy in Berlin in 2004 to regain his citizenship. The Embassy advised that he could not regain citizenship through the declaration because he was not born on the island of Ireland and suggested that he explore the option of naturalisation.

The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has sole responsibility for legislative and policy matters regarding the granting of citizenship through naturalisation. The person in question may obtain further information regarding naturalisation from the Citizenship Division of that Department.