16A.—F52[(1) A period of residence in the State shall not be reckoned when calculating a period of residence for the purposes of granting a certificate of naturalisation if—

(a) it is in contravention of section 5(1) of the Act of 2004,

(b) it is in accordance with a permission given to a person under section 4 of the Act of 2004 for the purpose of enabling him or her to engage in a course of education or study in the F53[State,]

(c) it consists of a period during which a person (other than a person who was, during that period, a national of a Member State, an EEA state or the Swiss Confederation) referred to in F54[subsection (1) of section 16 of the International Protection Act 2015] is entitled to remain in the State in accordance only with the said F53[subsection, or]]

F55[(d) it consists of a period during which a person is—

(i) an applicant within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2024/1348 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024²⁵ establishing a common procedure for international protection in the Union and repealing Directive 2013/32/EU,

(ii) the subject of a return decision under Part 11 of the International Protection Act 2026,

(iii) the subject of a decision to withdraw international protection status in accordance with section 214(1) or (2) of the International Protection Act 2026 that has taken effect in accordance with section 215(3) of that Act, which period shall end on the commencement by the person of a period of residence to which this subsection does not apply, or

(iv) entitled to remain in the State pursuant to a permission referred to in paragraph (e) of section 236(1) of the International Protection Act 2026.]

(2) This section does not apply to a person to whom the provisions of the Aliens Act, 1935, do not apply by virtue of an order made under section 10 of that Act.

(3) This section does not apply in the calculation of a period of residence in the State for the purposes of an application for a certificate of naturalisation made before the commencement of section 6 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 2001.]

F56[(4) Where a person referred to in section 2 (1) or 2(1A) of the Immigration Act 2004 is resident in the State, such residence shall not be reckonable as a period of residence in the State for the purposes of granting a certificate of naturalisation.]