Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

128. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the criteria required for a UK citizen to obtain an Irish passport (details supplied). [51620/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy may be aware, all passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act, 2008 which provides, among other things, that a person must be an Irish citizen before a passport can be issued to him/her. In order to meet this legal requirement, each person must demonstrate an entitlement to Irish citizenship before an Irish passport can be issued to them. As only limited details have been supplied about the UK citizen in question, it is not possible to provide specific guidance on their case. Nonetheless, we can still advise on the general rules and procedures that apply to cases such as these.Entitlement to Irish citizenship is governed by Irish law and in particular the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, under which and in general, Irish citizenship may be obtained by birth in Ireland to parents meeting specified requirements, by descent, or by naturalisation.

An individual born abroad is automatically an Irish citizen if one of their parents was an Irish citizen born in Ireland. There is an additional requirement of registration in the Foreign Births Register for a person born outside Ireland where his/her Irish citizen parent had also been born outside the island of Ireland. In such cases, Irish citizenship commences after inclusion on the FBR. Further details regarding the process can be consulted at:

Individuals who are unable to establish an entitlement to citizenship by descent may still be able to apply for citizenship through naturalisation. Naturalisation comes under the auspices of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service within the Department of Justice and Equality. Details of how to apply for citizenship through naturalisation can be found at: