Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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114. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of the referendum result in June 2016 and the triggering of Article 50 for Brexit the status of foreign nationals residing permanently in Northern Ireland whose children were born on the island of Ireland and are citizens; if it is the case that even though these children qualify for Irish citizenship their parents will be treated differently; and if the same citizenship rights apply to foreign nationals who reside in Northern Ireland as to foreign nationals who reside here. [16069/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, sets out the law governing citizenship of Ireland. The Act distinguishes between the entitlement to citizenship by birth and descent and to the acquisition of citizenship through the naturalisation process.

In relation to citizenship through birth in the island of Ireland, where a child is born to non-nationals the Act specifies certain residence requirements to be met immediately preceding the birth of the child. Citizenship through the naturalisation process on the other hand is based, among other things, on the individual having the required lawful residence in the jurisdiction of this State. The Act requires a period of one year's continuous residency in the State immediately before the date of application for naturalisation and, during the eight years immediately preceding that period, have had a further total residence in the State amounting to four years.

It is open to any individual to lodge an application for a certificate of naturalisation if and when they are in a position to meet the statutory requirements as prescribed in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act. Detailed information on Irish citizenship and naturalisation is available on the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration (INIS) website at www.inis.gov.ie.

The status of foreign nationals residing in Northern Ireland is solely a matter for the UK authorities, including where the person may have a child who is an Irish citizen.