Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding the naturalisation of persons (details supplied); the position regarding the certificate of registration in the documentation stamped in the persons' passports; if the certificates are complementary to each other; if the stamped statement in the passports takes precedence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8445/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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A person who is lawfully resident in the State is under a legal obligation to register with the Garda Síochána. Thus, even though a person has the permission of the Minister to be in the State, he may be in breach of immigration law if he or she fails to register.

However, the converse of this situation is that if a person has, through some error or omission, failed to obtain a stamp in his passport, the existence of the registration certificate, although not in itself the actual permission, will be taken as sufficient evidence of residency for naturalisation purposes.

Inquiries made about the Deputy's question disclosed that the applicants had periods where they had received permission to remain in the State which were not noted in their passport. I have asked my officials to look into this matter having regard to the foregoing and to contact the Deputy and both applicants directly with their findings in this regard.