Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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238. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of certificates of Irish naturalisation that have been revoked in each of the years 2013 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form; the reasons for such revocations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51931/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The legal basis for revocation of citizenship is set-out in  section 19 (1) of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, which provides that the Minister may revoke a certificate of naturalisation if he is satisfied -

(a) that the issue of the certificate was procured by fraud, misrepresentation whether innocent or fraudulent, or concealment of material facts or circumstances, or

(b) that the person to whom it was granted has, by any overt act, shown himself to have failed in his duty of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State, or

(c) that (except in the case of a certificate of naturalisation which is issued to a person of Irish descent or associations) the person to whom it is granted has been ordinarily resident outside the State or, in the case of an application for a certificate of naturalisation granted under section 15A, resident outside the island of Ireland (otherwise than in the public service) for a continuous period of seven years and without reasonable excuse has not during that period registered annually in the prescribed manner his name and a declaration of his intention to retain Irish citizenship with an Irish diplomatic mission or consular office or with the Minister, or

(d) that the person to whom it is granted is also, under the law of a country at war with the State, a citizen of that country, or

(e) that the person to whom it is granted has by any voluntary act, other than marriage or entry into a civil partnership, acquired another citizenship. 

For the period referred to by the Deputy a total of 5 revocations have taken place arising from voluntary revocation or information coming to light regarding identity. 

However, I am conscious of the need to consider other cases and in that regard a Committee of Enquiry into Revocations has been established which will consider individual cases under the Act and make a recommendation to me for final decision. The Committee has recently commenced their work and have started to examine its first cases.