Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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107. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if concerns raised by a person (details supplied) in relation to a passport application will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21113/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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All passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act 2008. This Act 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 in his/her passport application by providing acceptable documentary evidence of this entitlement.

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.

I am advised by the Passport Service that the application submitted by the person in question did not provide acceptable documentary evidence to demonstrate entitlement to citizenship by birth or descent. The applicant was advised that it may be possible for them to apply for citizenship via naturalisation. The passport application cannot proceed any further until entitlement to Irish citizenship has been established.

Matters relating to Citizenship – including naturalisation – come under the remit of the Department of Justice and Equality (Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service) and further information is available on the websitewww.inis.gov.ie.