Batt O'Keeffe (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising a very important humane issue. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, who cannot be present, has asked me to respond to the matter raised by the Deputy.

The average processing time for applications for certificates of naturalisation is 24 months. The lengthy processing time for such applications is primarily due to the significant increase in the volume of applications received in recent years. In the three-year period from 2000 to 2002, a total of 6,009 applications for naturalisation were received. However, in the following three-year period, from 2003 to 2005, the number of applications received increased by over 100% to 12,177. With almost 2,000 applications received in the first four months of 2006, the increase in applications being received shows no sign of slowing.

At the start of 2001, the average processing time for an application for naturalisation was two and a half years. Additional staff were assigned to the citizenship section of the Department and by the beginning of 2002, the average processing time had been reduced to 15 months. However, the processing time started to rise again as officials began to process the 3,574 applications received in 2002.

The Minister has informed the House on a number of occasions that the major reduction in the number of asylum applications has given him an opportunity to refocus resources in areas of service provision for non-nationals. Since November 2004, the number of staff working exclusively on citizenship matters has doubled to 41. This resulted in a stabilising of the processing time at 24 months, notwithstanding the continuing increase in the volume of applications being received. Citizenship is but one of the services provided by the Irish naturalisation and immigration service. Other sections within the broad immigration area, such as those dealing with visas and residency applications, have also been expanded to cope with the additional workload in those areas. While Department officials continue to examine ways to reduce processing times, in view of the significant increase in the volume of applications being received it is unlikely that an early reduction can be achieved in the current processing time of 24 months.

The application for naturalisation of the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the Department on 26 September 2005. Officials in the citizenship section are processing applications which were received in the first quarter of 2004 and it is estimated that approximately 6,300 applications are awaiting processing before the application of the individual in question is reached.

All persons awaiting decisions on their applications require or desire to be Irish citizens for a variety of reasons. Some wish to become part of Irish society because they have settled here and wish to become integrated into our community and way of life. Others may wish to avoid the necessity of having to register with the Garda Síochána or seek visas when travelling outside the State. However, naturalisation is not an entitlement, it is a privilege and an honour granted by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Consequently, the Minister has the responsibility to ensure that all applications are processed in a way which preserves the necessary checks and balances to ensure that the naturalisation process is not undervalued and is given only to persons who are suitably qualified.

The Minister has informed the House on a number of occasions in response to parliamentary questions that applications for naturalisation are dealt with as far as possible in chronological order and that this policy is only departed from in very exceptional circumstances. The details supplied by the Deputy on the matter raised in the House tonight seem to suggest that the person concerned is inconvenienced by our immigration requirements while travelling abroad. A possible solution to this problem, while she is awaiting a decision on her application, would be to apply to the Department for a multiple re-entry visa, thereby obviating the need to apply for a re-entry visa each time she travels abroad. I understand that she applied for and was granted such multiple re-entry visas in the past.

Having regard to all of the circumstances involved, the Minister does not consider it appropriate to expedite the processing of the application of the person concerned. Based on the current processing time of 24 months the person concerned can expect a decision on her application in or around 2007.

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