John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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455. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications received each year during the past ten years under section 16(1)(a) and section 16(1)(b) of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended; the number granted each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26798/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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I can inform the Deputy that it is not possible to provide statistics on the number of applications and decisions based on Section 16 'Irish Association' received each year, during the past ten years. This would require the manual examination of thousands of cases. Such an examination would require a disproportionate amount of time to compile.

Following the recent introduction of the new Section 16 'Irish Association' guidelines, arrangements to separately record such applications have been put in place.

The guidelines provide clarity to both applicants and decision-makers on what factors may be considered when deciding whether to waive such naturalisation conditions under Section 16 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. These new guidelines have been developed in the interests of fair and transparent procedures and comprehensive decision making.

The new guidelines are available on my Department’s Immigration Service website at the following link: