Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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446. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if an application was considered as a Section 16 application (details supplied) as opposed to a naturalisation application; if form 8 is required for Section 16 applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67237/25]

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that all applications based on Section 15 or Section 16 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, are considered applications for a certificate of naturalisation. All such applications are assessed individually based on the respective provisions of the Act.

Section 15 sets out the statutory conditions that must be fulfilled for a certificate of naturalisation to be granted. Section 16 gives discretion to waive the statutory conditions in certain circumstances, including where the applicant is of Irish descent or Irish associations (related through blood, affinity or adoption to a person who is or is entitled to be an Irish citizen).

As outlined to the person concerned, they may apply for naturalisation under Section 16 of the Act through the online digital application, which can be accessed here: ISD Online Forms

It is also open to the person cited to request a paper application form through my Department’s Customer Service Portal. The Portal can be accessed at the following link: Home

I wish to advise you that due to the administrative nature of paper-based applications, they will take longer to process than online digital applications.

As an Oireachtas member, the Deputy can also request the status of individual immigration cases by e-mail, using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process.