Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 460: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the way in which a person (details supplied) in County Wexford has fallen short of the requirements for naturalisation; if his Department has received representations from this person in relation to their naturalisation application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20610/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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An application for a certificate of naturalisation was received by the citizenship section of my Department from the person referred to by the Deputy on 25 February 2003.

Section 15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 as amended, provides that an applicant for naturalisation must have a period of one year's continuous residence in the State before the date of the application and a total of four year's residence in the State in the eight years preceding that period. For the purposes of calculating this residency, no period may be reckoned in respect of which a non-national either was required to have the permission of the Minister to remain in the State but did not have such permission, or had permission to remain for the purpose of study or for the purpose of seeking to be recognised as a refugee within the meaning of the Refugee Act 1996.

My officials have sought confirmation from the person concerned that he has the necessary reckonable residence in the State on the date he applied. To date, he has been unable to produce such confirmation and my Department's letter dated 10 May 2005, setting out the exact details that are required, has not yet been responded to. I will inform both the applicant and the Deputy when I have made a decision on the application.