Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 189: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a review of an application for naturalisation will be offered to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3766/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the citizenship section of my Department on 12 December 2005. The average processing time for applications for naturalisation for standard adults is approximately 24 months at present. However, I understand that the person concerned is a refugee. In accordance with the Government's obligations under the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 28 July 1951, every effort is made to ensure that applications from persons with refugee status are dealt with as quickly as possible, having regard to the general volume of applications on hands. It is likely that the application of the person concerned will be finalised in the early part of 2007. I will be in touch with both the Deputy and the applicant when the case is finalised.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 190: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a review of an application for naturalisation will be offered to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3767/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I informed the Deputy in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 149 on 26 January that the person concerned arrived in the State on 14 October 2005 and is the subject of a transfer order under the Dublin II regulations, Council Regulation (EC) No. 343/2003. Her transfer to Belgium, where she sought asylum in April 2005, is now an operational matter for the Garda national immigration bureau.

I have been informed by officials in the citizenship section of my Department that there is no record of an application for naturalisation being received from the person concerned. Since she has only been present in the State for a few months and does not belong to one of the categories of applicants for whom I am empowered to waive the residency requirement, refugee or stateless person, it appears unlikely that she is eligible to apply for naturalisation.