Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 222: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a decision will be reached on the application for a certificate of naturalisation of persons (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4460/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Applications for certificates of naturalisation from the first two persons referred to in the Deputy's question were received in the Citizenship section of my Department in July 2006 and an application from the third person referred to was received in February 2007.

Officials in that section are currently processing applications received in July 2005 and have approximately 6,000 applications on hand to be dealt with before those of the first two people concerned and approximately 10,400 on hand to be dealt with before that of the third person.

However, I understand the individuals in question are refugees. In accordance with the Government's obligations under the United Nations Convention relating to the status of Refugees, every effort is made to ensure that applications from persons with refugee status are dealt with as quickly as possible. It is likely, therefore, that further processing of the applications of the first two individuals mentioned will commence in the near future and further processing of the application of the third person mentioned will commence in the second half of 2008.

I will inform the Deputy and the individuals in question when I have reached a decision on the applications.