Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 119: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the procedure to be followed to enable persons who no longer require a work permit having spent more than five years in employment here transfer to an alternative employer; if they are notified as to any such procedures; if any reference is made to his Department or the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service to facilitate procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23794/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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On 28 August 2009, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, in consultation with the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment announced changes in the way the State's immigration system deals with non-EEA migrant workers.

From that date, all non-EEA persons who have held employment permits for 5 years of more consecutively and have been working lawfully during that time, will be exempted, provided they meet certain conditions, from the requirement to hold a work permit and will no longer be limited to one employer. Such persons will be issued with a Stamp 4 permission signifying the right to be present in the State and to be employed without an employment permit. Persons seeking such permission should contact their local Immigration office. The eligibility rules are clearly laid out on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Office www.inis.gov.ie.

This permission will normally be granted for one year and can be renewed annually subject to certain conditions, including that the person is continuing to be in employment or if redundant, he/she is making efforts to seek employment and has not become a burden on the State.

Furthermore, it is open to persons who have held work permits for 5 years consecutively to apply to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform for long term residency. Subject to such an application being approved, a person will be granted Stamp 4 for a five year period. Details on the long term residency scheme are again on the INIS website.

Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 120: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will review an application for naturalisation in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; the stage of the process this application is at; when a decision will be expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23550/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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A valid application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Division of my Department in March 2008 and I decided in my absolute discretion to grant a certificate of naturalisation. The person in question was informed of this decision in a letter issued to her on 25 May, 2010.

A certificate of naturalisation will issue to the person concerned in the near future.

Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 121: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will review an application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; the stage of the process this application is at; when a decision will be expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23551/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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A valid application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Division of my Department in October 2008.

All valid applications are dealt with in chronological order as this is deemed to be the fairest to all applicants.The average processing time from application to decision is now at 26 months. More complicated cases can at times take more than the current average, while an element of straight forward cases can be dealt with in less than that timescale. Officials in the Citizenship Division inform me that further processing of the application is ongoing and the file will be submitted to me for a decision in due course.

The length of time taken to process each application should not be classified as a delay, as the length of time taken for any application to be decided is purely a function of the time taken to carry out necessary checks. There is a limit to the reduction in the processing time that can be achieved as applications for naturalisation must be processed in a way which preserves the necessary checks and balances to ensure that it is not undervalued and is only given to persons who genuinely satisfy the necessary qualifying criteria.