Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 472: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of an application for a passport for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8; the reason for the delay in processing this application; when they will receive said passport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8003/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship section of my Department in September 2006.

Officials in that section are currently processing applications received in mid 2005 and have approximately 7,000 applications on hand to be dealt with before that of the person in question. These are generally dealt with in chronological order as this is deemed to be the fairest to all applicants.

However, I understand that the person concerned is a refugee. 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. It is likely, therefore, that further processing of the application will commence in the coming months. I will inform the Deputy and the individual in question when I have reached a decision on the matter.