Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 603: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the granting of an Irish passport to a child born in Ireland in 2006 of parents from outside the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35225/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Section 6A of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended by section 4 of the Act of 2004, provides that a person born in the island of Ireland shall not be entitled to be an Irish citizen unless a parent of that person has, during the period of 4 years immediately preceding the person's birth, been resident in the island of Ireland for a period of not less than 3 years or periods the aggregate of which is not less than 3 years.

Where a child did not at birth have an entitlement to Irish citizenship as indicated above an application should be completed by a parent/guardian on behalf of the child born in the State for naturalisation as an Irish citizen. The parent/guardian must have 5 years reckonable residence since the birth of the child i.e. the child should be a least 5 years of age when the application is made.