Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his answer. I accept and recognise the costs involved in this regard. The initial fee of €175 is not onerous and is not too much to expect people to pay but most of us will accept that the €950 fee is quite a high charge to place on people, particularly people who have lived and worked in Ireland, in some cases for decades. Many of these people are married to Irish citizens and have been living here for a long time. When they seek citizenship, they expect the fee to be reasonable and affordable. The fee at its current level is a bit higher than we would like. I believe most people will recognise that.

I understood the process can be a little bit complex but, in many cases, it is not and the decision is clear, simple and easy. This should be reviewed. I ask the Minister of State to review these fees, particularly for those who have lived and worked in Ireland for a good number of years and who have contributed greatly to the Exchequer.

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