Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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764. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the powers that exist under current Irish law to revoke citizenship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39628/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration is empowered to revoke Irish citizenship granted by naturalisation in accordance with the provisions of section 19 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 (as amended).

Revocation of Irish citizenship is only undertaken in the most serious of circumstances as set out in section 19. The loss of citizenship has serious consequences and each case is considered very carefully.

However, following the Supreme Court ruling in Damache v Minister for Justice [2020], changes to the process were made by the Court, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 to address the issues which gave rise to the Supreme Court judgment.

Amendments to the process of revocation of citizenship came into effect from 7 April 2025 and the revised provisions can be found at: .

Under the new procedure, where the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration decides to revoke citizenship, they may do so under the five grounds set out in the 1956 Act. A notification of this intention is issued to the individual, who will be provided with the opportunity to make representations, and has 28 days to so, before a decision is made to revoke their certificate of naturalisation.

Following receipt of those representations, or on expiry of the 28 days, if the Minister decides to proceed to revoke the certificate of naturalisation, then the individual has 14 days in which to request a Committee of Inquiry. Upon receipt of this request, the Minister will appoint a Committee of Inquiry, which will be composed of a chairperson who will be a retired Judge of the Circuit Court, the High Court, the Court of Appeal, or the Supreme Court, and two ordinary members with appropriate experience and qualifications. The Committee of Inquiry will be independent in its function of inquiry into the Ministers decision and can either affirm the decision or set it aside.