Viktor Kozeny was granted Irish citizenship in 1995 by the Rainbow coalition under the passports for investment scheme after he invested £1 million (€1.27 million) in a software company called Irish Medical Systems.

Nora Owen of Fine Gael was minister for justice when he was granted a certificate of naturalisation.

Mr Kozeny remains an Irish citizen to this day, although the Government is understood to be examining means of rescinding his citizenship. According to informed sources, the scrutiny of his citizenship centres on two provisions in the 1956 Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act. This allows a certificate of naturalisation to be revoked if the issue was procured by fraud, misrepresentation, or concealment of material facts.

Revocation is also allowed where the person concerned "has by any voluntary act other than marriage acquired another citizenship". It is on this particular point that the Government has sought information about Mr Kozeny from the authorities in the Bahamas. A response is awaited.

While much is known about Mr Kozeny's controversial career in international business, the circumstances under which this Czech-born financier came into contact with the Irish authorities have never been fully explained. However, Ms Owen told RTÉ's Prime Time in 1998 that "we got an assurance that people were not wanted by the law in the country where they live" when his passport was granted.

Another eight years were to pass before the Czech authorities described Mr Kozeny as a fugitive from justice. Czech police said Mr Kozeny avoided all attempts to answer the fraud charges for two years.