Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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593. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the naturalisation process for persons who were married to Irish citizens for over ten years but have now faced bereavement. [8128/21]

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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594. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a naturalisation application is unnecessary after a period of time which has passed if a person is married to an Irish citizen for over that extended period of time. [8129/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 593 and 594 together.

A person who was married to an Irish citizen but is now bereaved will need to apply for a Certificate of Naturalisation as a Standard Adult. If granted naturalisation, they will pay the reduced fee of €200 for the Certificate of Naturalisation.

The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to naturalisation can only be made after an application is received. Therefore all applicants for a certificate of naturalisation must submit an application which will then be processed and assessed individually in accordance with the relevant legislative provisions of the 1956 Act as amended.

It is open to any individual to lodge an application for citizenship if and when they are in a position to meet the statutory conditions as prescribed in the Act.