Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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625. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to acknowledge the many persons from the UK who have been living here for ten years or more who may wish to now apply for an Irish passport in view of the Brexit vote; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19412/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, a person must, among other things, be an Irish citizen before a passport can be issued to him or her. This requirement is set out in the Passports Act, 2008, which stipulates the conditions under which the Passport Service is permitted to issue passports. Entitlement to Irish citizenship is in turn subject to the terms of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended.

Any UK citizen who is also an Irish citizen may apply for a passport. For all passport applications, the Passport Service is obliged to seek documentary evidence of the applicant’s entitlement to Irish citizenship.

Where appropriate proof of Irish citizenship by birth, descent, or a post-nuptial declaration (discontinued from 30 November 2005) is provided, the Passport Service can proceed with an application. The documentary requirements in this regard are set out on my department’s website at .

In all other cases, the Passport Service is obliged to request a Certificate of Naturalisation as evidence of citizenship. Naturalisation is a matter for the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service within the Department of Justice and Equality.