Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 238: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the situation with regard to an application for naturalisation by a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; if this person has one year's continuous reckonable residency in the State. [35345/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled, including where the applicant has 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, has had a total residence in the State amounting to four years.

The person referred to in the Deputy's question lodged an application for naturalisation which was received in the Citizenship Section of my Department on 21 April 2006, having lodged an earlier, unsuccessful application in July 2005. On both occasions, the person concerned did not satisfy the statutory residency conditions and was deemed ineligible to apply for naturalisation. In her earlier application, the person concerned did not have five years' reckonable residency at the time of her application and in the second application, she did not satisfy the statutory requirement of having one year's continuous reckonable residence in the State immediately prior to applying for naturalisation. The person concerned was informed of this in writing on both occasions.

My officials have informed me that the person in question now satisfies the statutory residency requirement and it is open to her to submit a fresh application for naturalisation if she wishes. Any application for naturalisation submitted by the person concerned will be assessed against the requirements of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act.