Michael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 265: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of the citizenship application of a person (details supplied); and if he will he make a statement on the matter in view of the fact the applicant has been living in a hostel with their Irish born son for the past three years. [27796/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Officials in the Citizenship Section of my Department inform me that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps that will be taken to address the backlog and delays in processing applications for long-term residency and for citizenship in view of the fact that it appears that possibly 14,000 parents with IBC/05 status presenting in three years time for long-term residency or citizenship could fall into a status of illegality during the processing of their applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27808/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Applications for both long-term residency and naturalisation are generally dealt with in chronological order as this method is deemed to be fairest to all applicants. Any backlogs and delays in processing such applications are primarily due to the significant increase in the volume of applications received in the last number of years and this upward trend appears set to continue in 2007. In seeking to deal with the backlogs arising, the deployment of staffing resources within the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service is kept under constant review. However, the Deputy will appreciate the importance of maintaining the integrity of the naturalisation/long-term residence process and that this requires that the procedures involved in processing such applications must continue to be completed to the highest standard.

I am aware of the potential for a considerable number of applications from those with IBC status to be received in the coming years. While this will present a significant challenge, every effort will be made to ensure that the concerns raised by the Deputy will be addressed.