Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 221: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when an application for citizenship for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be dealt with in view of the fact that the applicant has been living and working here for the past five years. [35187/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Irish Nationality and Citizenship, 1956, as amended, provides that 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. In the case of a non-national applicant who is the spouse of an Irish citizen those conditions are that the applicant must:

be of full age;

be of good character;

be married to the Irish citizen for at least 3 years;

be in a marriage recognised under the laws of the State as subsisting;

be living together as husband and wife with the Irish spouse;

have had a period of one year's continuous residency in the island of Ireland immediately before the date of the application and, during the four years immediately preceding that period, have had a total residence in the island of Ireland amounting to two years;

intend in good faith to continue to reside in the island of Ireland 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.

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 31 May 2006. The application was examined and it was determined that the person in question did not have the required reckonable residency as she was not married for three years at the date of application and consequently was not eligible to apply for a certificate of naturalisation at that time. She was informed of this by letter dated 14 October 2006.

It is open to her to lodge a new application if and when she is in a position to meet the statutory requirements applicable at the time.