Longford Circuit Court hands down first conviction and sentencing for false application for Irish Citizenship

Today saw the first conviction and sentencing for the offence of making a false declaration in the application for Irish Citizenship.

A male Albanian national, aged in his 40s pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to three years imprisonment with 18 months suspended, this morning in Longford Circuit Court. He was also convicted for making a false declaration in the application for an Irish Passport.

This is the first charge pursuant to Section 29A of The Irish Naturalisation and Citizenship Act 2004 successfully prosecuted in the State.

The conviction and sentencing follows an extensive investigation coordinated by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), with assistance from a number of agencies including The Passport Office, Immigration Service Delivery, the Irish Citizenship Department and Gardaí based in Castlepollard and Mullingar.

The man entered Ireland in 2001 using the alias of a Kosovo national and sought asylum under a false name. He was later granted temporary permission to remain in the State in 2007, and made an application for citizenship which was granted in 2014. Permission to remain in the state, citizenship and an Irish passport were all granted under the pretence of him being a Kosovo national.