Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 207: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the legal basis for his decision to refuse naturalisation to non-nationals other than refugees, programme refugees or stateless persons who have lived and worked here for several years if they at any time availed of such social welfare payments as unemployment assistance, rent support or the one parent family allowance; if his attention has been drawn to the consequences of such discrimination against persons who have had to avail of perfectly legitimate payments to which they are entitled under national and international law; if he will reconsider his policies in this regard with a view to enabling those who have worked here for a specified period to become eligible for naturalisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13813/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The first main point that must be made is that the acquisition of Irish citizenship through the naturalisation process is a privilege — not a right. The discretionary nature of the naturalisation process is in keeping with international practice. Thus it is not the case that a person who has been resident here or in employment here has after a period of time — or even an extended period of time — a right to naturalisation. In fact it has been the case since 1935 that all decisions on naturalisation, even where all of the statutory conditions for naturalisation have been fulfilled, are expressed to be at the "absolute discretion" of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

I set out details of my general policy relating to applicants for naturalisation who avail of long-term State financial support in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 130 on 14 April 2005. I have no plans to review this policy at the present time.