A seven-year-old girl born in Ireland to non-EU parents, now separated but both legally in the Republic, was unlawfully and “absurdly” refused Irish citizenship on grounds her father was not of “good character”, the High Court has been told. The Minister also refused naturalisation for the child because the conditions concerning the father’s application were not satisfied. ‘Dreadful’In exchanges, Mr Justice David Keane remarked all children are of good character and cannot not be otherwise unless they do “dreadful” things, such as killing other children. The child has two parents and her mother, who has no criminal convictions, could have made the application on behalf of the child. Section 15 permits refusal of a minor applicant on the basis of their parent’s circumstances, it is argued.

Source: The Irish Times April 18, 2018 16:39 UTC