Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 232: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork who applied for naturalisation and whose application was forwarded for review as they fulfilled the requirements for time in the State. [38003/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I refer the Deputy to my response to Parliamentary Question No. 203 of 7 December 2005. As I explained to the Deputy at that time, the person in question did not satisfy the statutory residency conditions, as set out in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956 as amended. This was because a substantial period of the applicant's time in the State, prior to lodging his application for a certificate of naturalisation in January 2004, was for the purpose of study. Consequently, he was deemed ineligible to apply at that time and was advised of this on 5 April 2006.

I understand that the legal representatives of the individual concerned recently contacted the Citizenship section of my Department regarding the issue of their client's residency in the State. However, they failed to provide any new information in support of their client's contention that he satisfied the residency requirements at the time of his previous application. My Department's position on the matter was subsequently outlined to the legal representatives in a letter dated 13 September 2006.

It will be open to the person in question to submit a fresh application once he satisfies the statutory conditions applicable at that time.