John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 387: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a decision will be made regarding an application for naturalisation by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22. [29361/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's question was received in the Citizenship section of my Department in March, 2004.

Section 15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended, provides that applicants for naturalisation, other than spouses of Irish citizens, must have been resident in the State for five years of the nine year period prior to the date of application. Residence in this context means residence for which the applicant had the permission of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and where such permission was not for the purpose of study or seeking asylum. Generally speaking, reckonable residence is calculated from stamps in applicants' passports and from Departmental and Garda records.

On further examination of the individual's application for a certificate of naturalisation it appears that he does not have the necessary reckonable residence in order to qualify for naturalisation. A letter to this effect issued to him earlier this week.