Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 206: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the procedure to be followed to obtain citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37507/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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Applications for certificates of naturalisation from the three persons referred to by the Deputy were received in the citizenship section of my Department in September 1999. The applications were considered under the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, and it was decided not to grant certificates at that time.

Based on the details supplied by the Deputy, and information on file about the previous applications, it appears that the most appropriate route to Irish citizenship for the persons concerned is the naturalisation process. Since the statutory requirements for naturalisation have changed since 1999, I have set out some general information about this process.

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. Those conditions are that the applicant must be of full age, or by way of exception, be a minor born in the State, be of good character, have had a period of one year's continuous residency in the State immediately before the date of the application and, during the eight years immediately preceding that period, have had a total residence in the State amounting to four years. The applicant must intend in good faith to continue to reside in the State after naturalisation, and have made, either before a judge of the District Court in open court, or in such a manner as the Minister, for special reasons allows, a declaration in the prescribed manner, of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State.

It should be noted that in the context of naturalisation certain periods of residence in the State are excluded. These include periods of residence in respect of which an applicant does not have permission of the Minister to remain in the State, or where such permission was granted for the purposes of study or seeking recognition as a refugee within the meaning of the Refugee Act 1996.

The three applicants involved are aged 26, 21 and 24, respectively, and must apply for naturalisation in their own right. Further information and the necessary application forms may be obtained from my Department's website, www.justice.ie, or by telephoning the citizenship section helpline on Tuesdays or Thursdays between 10 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. at Lo-call 1890 551 500 or 01 6167700.