2141. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will respond to the queries raised in correspondence (details supplied) and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59762/26]

2227. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will report on operation of naturalisation via Irish association; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60460/26]

2311. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of applications for naturalisation via Irish association received in the years 2023 to date; the number of which were successful and unsuccessful; and if he will make a statement on the matter.' [60469/26]

2312. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of applications submitted for naturalisation via Irish association which had been received in advance of the introduction of a points based system, which were subsequently adjudicated upon on the basis of said system; the number of which were successful and unsuccessful; and if he will make a statement on the matter.' [60457/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2141, 2227, 2311 and 2312 together.

All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended.

Last year, my Department published new guidelines for applications on the basis of Irish Associations under Section 16(1)(a) of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956. These guidelines set out the factors that may be considered when deciding whether to waive the statutory conditions in certain circumstances, including where the applicant is of Irish descent or has Irish associations. Details of the guidelines are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-an-irish-citizen-guide/.

In April 2025, 1,358 fair procedures letters were issued to applicants, affording them the opportunity to provide a submission or submit additional documentation in support of their Irish Association application. All submissions received have been reviewed and added to the relevant applications.

I can advise the Deputy that, in devising and introducing the new guidelines, full policy and operational consideration was undertaken, including transitional arrangements. Under the provisions of Section 16 of the Act, the Minister is afforded absolute discretion.

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 four years. This would require the manual examination of hundreds 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 total number of decisions issued on Irish Association applications since the introduction of the guidelines in April 2025 is 444, of which 300 were refusals and 144 were approvals.