Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 14: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason the average timescale for a certificate of naturalisation in the citizenship section takes in excess of two years without exception; his views on whether this is unreasonable in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; his further views on whether travel arrangements offered by his Department do not work on short notice for this person; if he will examine this case as a priority in view of it's nature; his further views on whether changes and exceptions have to be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22008/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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On 9 May 2006, my Government colleague, Mr. Batt O'Keeffe, T.D. Minister for State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government responded on my behalf to an Adjournment matter by the Deputy in relation to this case. The response is on the record of this House.

In that response, I explained that the processing time was primarily as a result of the increase in the volume of applications being received in the Citizenship Section of my Department and that it was unlikely that there would be an early reduction in the then processing time of 24 months. I also explained that applications are dealt with as far as possible in chronological order and that this policy is only departed from in very exceptional circumstances. I further stated that there were approximately 6,300 applications awaiting processing before the application of the person concerned and that I did not consider it appropriate, for the reasons advanced in the case in question, to expedite the processing of the said application.

No new information has been put forward by the Deputy in his current Question and, consequently, I can see no reason to reconsider my decision not to expedite the processing of the application in question.

I also mentioned in my response that the person in question could apply for a multiple re-entry visa and that she had applied for and been granted such visa in the past. Multiple re-entry visas are designed to cater for the circumstance of a person who is required to travel outside the State on a frequent basis and at short notice. It obviates the need to apply each time for a re-entry visa and await the processing of that application. I cannot see, therefore, how this arrangement does not work for the person concerned if she is required to travel abroad at short notice in the context of her employment. I understand that she applied for and was granted such multiple re-entry visas in the past and that she has recently been issued with a multiple re-entry visa valid until April 2008.