Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 21: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the criteria established for a UK citizen to acquire an Irish passport; the circumstances if any, in which these criteria may be waived; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7173/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Passports Act, 2008 provides in broad terms that the Minister for Foreign Affairs shall be satisfied as to the identity of each applicant for a passport and that the person is an Irish citizen before a passport is issued to him/her. The Minister has no discretion in awarding a passport to an individual who is not an Irish citizen. The entitlement to Irish citizenship is complex with many variables including, in this case, whether the UK citizen was born in or not born in Ireland; born to an Irish parent or born to an Irish grandparent; or whether the UK citizen was resident in Ireland.

Born in Ireland

Anyone born on the island of Ireland on or before 31 December 2004 is entitled to be an Irish citizen. The citizenship entitlement of every person born on the island of Ireland on or after 1 January 2005 is governed by the citizenship of the person's parents at the time of the person's birth or the residency history of one of the parents prior to the birth.

Born to an Irish Parent

A UK citizen who has a parent who is an Irish citizen is automatically entitled to Irish citizenship.

Born to an Irish Grandparent

A UK citizen who has a grandparent who is an Irish citizen may apply for Irish citizenship through the Foreign Births Registration legal process either to the Irish Diplomatic or Consular Mission nearest to where the applicant normally resides or, if resident in Ireland, to the Consular Section, Department of Foreign Affairs, St. Stephen's Green.

Residency

Naturalisation is a process whereby a non - national can apply to become an Irish citizen. Applications are decided by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. In addition to certain character requirements, an applicant must have had a period of one year's continuous reckonable residence in the State immediately before the date of the application and, during the eight (8) years preceding that, have had a total reckonable residence in the State amounting to four (4) years.

These are just some of the variables in this complex area. In this context, the Deputy may wish to raise a specific question with Joseph Nugent, Director of Passport Services, by contacting him directly at 01- 6733558.