Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Please provide the following records held by the Department: In particular, I seek records addressing how the Department interpreted and applied the 1986 amendment retroactively to extinguish entitlements of children already born under the 1956 Act. 1. All internal memoranda, legal advices, policy papers, briefing notes, or correspondence concerning the effect of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1986 (s.2 amending s.7 of the 1956 Act) on persons born before 1 January 1987 who, under the 1956 Act, held an entitlement to entry on the Foreign Births Register with no time or age limit, contingent on a parent’s registration; where the parent was themselves entitled to Irish citizenship by descent but had not registered before 1 January 1987. 2. Any records discussing the transitional impact of the 1986 amendment on that cohort, including whether such children retained or lost entitlement to register once their parent subsequently registered. 3. Any guidance, circulars, instructions, staff manuals or training materials issued to DFA (Citizenship/Consular Division or otherwise) on interpreting or applying the 1986 amendment in such cases. 4. Any statistical or case-tracking records showing refusals of FBR entry for this cohort and the grounds of refusal. 5. Any statistical or case-tracking records showing acceptances of FBR entry for this cohort. 6. Any records relating to consideration of transitional measures for minors or families under the 1956 Act at the time of the 1986 amendment.