Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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907. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the exemptions that apply for passport fees in the case of a person born in the UK (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28642/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I understand the Deputy's question relates to the fees payable in relation to an application for naturalisation, following the grant of which the person naturalised could then apply for an Irish passport to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

It is open to any individual to lodge an application for Irish citizenship through naturalisation if and when they are in a position to meet the statutory requirements as prescribed in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, which governs the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to naturalisation can only be made after an application is received.

The fees to be paid by an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation are governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 569 of 2011). The application fee, stipulated at €175, is payable on application for a certificate of naturalisation and a certification fee is payable on the issue of a certificate of naturalisation. The standard certification fee is set at €950, while a reduced fee of €200 applies in the case of an application made on behalf of a minor or in certain cases where the application is made by a widow, widower or surviving civil partner of an Irish citizen. In the case of recognised refugees and stateless persons the certification fee is nil.

There is no provision in the Regulations for the discretionary waiver or reduction of fees, or for differing fees to apply to different nationalities. All of the fees payable under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 are kept under ongoing review by my Department; however, there are no plans to amend the fees.

Detailed information on Irish citizenship and naturalisation, as well as the relevant application forms, is available on the INIS website at www.inis.gov.ie. The website also contains guidance on the completion of an application for naturalisation and an on-line naturalisation residency calculator which individuals may find of assistance in establishing if the residency requirements are met. The appropriate application form for a certificate of naturalisation by a person of full age, including a person in circumstances outlined by the Deputy, is Form 8.