Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 205: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if absence from this jurisdiction for a short period to visit family is likely to in any way impede an application for citizenship in the name of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28006/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Officials in the Citizenship Section 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.

Section 15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, requires that the applicant must have had a period of one year's continuous residency in the State immediately before the date of application and, during the eight years immediately preceding that period, have had a total residence in the State amounting to four years.

Residency is calculated by reference to the stamps issued by the Garda National Immigration Bureau. Once an applicant has the necessary number of months stamped in their passport, a short term absence from the State will not affect their application for a certificate of naturalisation.