Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Question 468: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will expedite the application of a person (details supplied) for naturalisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10181/08]

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 on 3 October 2007. Officials in that section are currently processing applications received in mid 2005 and have approximately 15,600 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 married to an Irish national and every effort is made to ensure those applications 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.