John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Question 72: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will clarify the way the series of measures announced in June 2011, which were aimed at providing for the speedier processing of citizenship applications by bringing about a reduction in the average processing timescale and also by dealing with the backlog of applications that had accumulated have actually impacted on the current processing timescales of these applications; the amount of this backlog that has been cleared; the number of intern positions that were made available under the internship programme; the current average processing timescale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22783/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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When I first came into office just over a year ago one of my first objectives was to address the length of time taken to process applications for naturalisation and to significantly reduce the number of cases on hand. At that time there were over 22,000 applications on hand and applications were taking an average time of over two years to process, and many were waiting three to four years. I regarded this as unacceptable. In June 2011, I announced a series of measures to address this issue including improved application forms, which are currently available online with an associated online residence checker, re-engineering of processes that were a barrier to achieving maximum efficiency plus streamlined and accelerated procedures for certain types of application.

Through these and other measures enormous progress has been made, notwithstanding a substantial increase in the volume of valid applications received in 2011, during which a total of 18,500 valid applications were received compared to 12,500 in 2010. In the period 9 March 2011 to 8 March this year, a total of 17,500 valid applications were determined. By contrast, in the whole of 2010, decisions were reached in just under 7,800 cases. So far this year I have made decisions on some 9,200 applications and I expect to have made a decision on a further 3,500 applications by the end of May and on approximately 12,000 applications between June and the year end. Thus, this year will see approximately 24,000 applications for citizenship dealt with, which would represent a more than threefold increase in the number of applications dealt with over 2010 levels. I think the House would agree that by any standards of reasonable measurement this represents a major achievement.

I also undertook to get to the stage by the second quarter of this year that, in the generality of cases - that is, around 70% - persons applying for a certificate of naturalisation will be given a decision on their application within six months. In this regard, a major effort has and continues to be made in reducing the time taken to process applications. It is expected that the six month timeframe for the generality of new applications received from this month onwards will be achieved.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

Under the new JobBridge programme announced by the Government a total of 16 individuals have been engaged by the citizenship division of my Department to date. The primary purpose of the scheme is to provide work experience for those involved and to improve their prospects of getting back into the workforce. I am advised that the scheme is extremely successful and mutually beneficial in addressing the backlog and enabling the individuals in question to gain good experience in the workplace.

Last summer, I also decided to introduce citizenship ceremonies for the first time since the foundation of the State. This allows candidates for citizenship make their declaration of fidelity to the Irish nation and loyalty to the State and receive their certificate of naturalisation in a meaningful and dignified manner which befits the importance and solemnity of the occasion. To date, 47 such ceremonies have been held at which almost 11,000 candidates have become Irish citizens under the new procedures. These ceremonies are an unqualified success.

The nature of the naturalisation process is such that for a broad range of reasons some cases will take longer than others to process. It is a statutory requirement that, inter alia, applicants for naturalisation be of good character. In some instances that can be established relatively quickly and in other cases completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time. The primary aim over the past year has been to reduce the large volume of cases on hand as swiftly as possible and this has been achieved in the generality of cases. I am also confident that significant inroads will also be made with the remaining cases by year end. In such a fast moving environment where large volumes of cases are processed quickly, the calculation of averages for processing times has little meaning and the priority of the immigration service has been to deal with the cases on hand rather than divert resources to other activities.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I welcome the initiative the Minister has put in place. Like many other Deputies and councillors to whom I have spoken, I can sometimes be inundated with representations in this respect from people who have been on the waiting list for one, two or three years. It is a traumatic time for many people who have to leave their country of origin for reasons that, in some cases, are a matter of life and death, or because of political or religious persecution and for economic reasons where, because of the severity of quality of the life, they need to leave. I have always felt that-----

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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A question, please, Deputy.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Yes, I am just coming to it. I accept that citizenship is a serious issue but having dealt with the local police force from where the person concerned has come, Interpol, if necessary, local communities and so on, I have often wondered why it took such a long time to process an application for citizenship. I wish to ask the Minister two questions which I do not believe he answered. Has the backlog of applications been dealt with? I accept the Minister's stance, that increasingly more people are coming into this country and submitting applications for citizenship. How many people have been employed to deal with the backlog and with the current number of applications?

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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We are still addressing some parts of the backlog. The nature of the naturalisation process is such that for a broad range of reasons some cases take longer than others to process. A substantial number of cases that had accumulated have now been dealt with. There are some cases that give rise to particular security issues that have to be addressed and because of the nature of those cases or the countries of origin of individuals, it can take longer to have those applications processed than I wish were the case.

I know there are some cases on which the Deputy made representations and in which he expressed interest. I believe I am right in saying that, from having a look at them, most of them are applications that were made from September 2011 onwards. The position is that a substantial amount of the backlog has been dealt with and we are shortly going to be in an position where in the average case that gives rise to no particular major issues of security it will be determined within six months of the application being made. Some applications made some years ago had not been processed or dealt with when I came in to office. It is likely it could well take another three to four months to resolve and make decisions on this special group of cases. By the time we get to the end of this year unless something exceptionally unusual or difficult occurs the vast majority of applicants will find if they apply and properly fill in the forms a decision will be made within six months of receipt of the application.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I am reasonably happy with the answer the Minister has given and I look forward to a review of it in six months. Once again I compliment the Minister on introducing this initiative.