By Conall Ó Fátharta and Ann O’LoughlinA shock High Court ruling that anyone applying for citizenship must not leave the country at all in the year before their application could impact thousands of people. The minister for justice’s discretionary practice of allowing applicants six weeks out of the country, for holiday or other reasons, and more time in exceptional circumstances, is not permitted by law, Mr Justice Max Barrett ruled. He made the findings when rejecting a challenge by Roderick Jones, from Australia, to the minister’s refusal of his application to become a naturalised citizen. In a separate judgment, the High Court has declared unconstitutional a law preventing the recognition, for family reunification purposes, of marriages of refugees which took place after they sought protection here. As a result of his findings in favour of an Afghan man who brought the legal challenge, the judge said the man is entitled to an order quashing the Minister for Justice’s refusal to recognise his marriage for family reunification purposes.

Source: Irish Examiner July 18, 2019 05:03 UTC