Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 211: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason naturalisation was previously refused in the case of persons (details supplied) in County Kildare; if it is expected that the current application will be successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7366/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Applications for certificates of naturalisation from the persons referred to in the Deputy's Question were received in the Citizenship Section of my Department in April 2003. On examination of the applications it was determined that the persons concerned did not meet the residency requirements as set out in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. The individuals concerned were advised of this by letters dated 15 March 2005. The first and second named individuals lodged fresh applications for certificates of naturalisation in April 2006 and July 2006 respectively. Officials in the Citizenship Section of my Department are currently processing applications received in July 2005 and have approximately 5,900 applications on hand to be dealt with before that of the individuals concerned. These are generally dealt with in chronological order as this is deemed to be the fairest to all applicants.

However, I understand both applicants are refugees and in accordance with the Government's obligations under the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 28 July 1951, every effort is made to ensure that applications from persons with refugee status are dealt with as quickly as possible, having regard to the general volume of applications on hand. To that end, I have recently allocated additional resources to the Citizenship Section of my Department so that several categories of applicant can be dealt with more expeditiously than at present. These include refugees, spouses of Irish citizens and applications made on behalf of minors. It is likely, therefore, that further processing of the applications will commence in the middle of 2008. I will inform the Deputy and the persons in question when I have reached a decision on each case.