Written answers
Thursday, 28 February 2008
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Citizenship Applications
5:00 pm
Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 172: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason an application for a certificate of naturalisation has been refused for a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8581/08]
Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory residency conditions are fulfilled. These conditions are 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.
In the context of naturalisation, certain periods of residence in the State are excluded. These include—
periods of residence in respect of which an applicant does not have permission to remain in the State
periods granted for the purposes of study
periods granted for the purposes of seeking recognition as a refugee within the meaning of the Refugee Act, 1996
periods for which proof of permission to remain cannot be provided
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 August 2007. On examination of the application it was determined that the applicant did not meet the above mentioned residency requirements. A letter informing her of this was issued on 28 January 2008.
It is open to the person concerned to lodge a new application if and when she is in a position to meet the statutory requirements applicable at that time.
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