Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 656: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding an application for citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1593/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, 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 Division of my Department in April 2008.

The average processing time from application to decision is now at 23 months. The Citizenship Division is currently commencing further processing of applications received in mid 2007. More complicated cases can at times take more than the current average while an element of straight forward cases are now being dealt with in less than that time scale.

There is a limit to the reduction in the processing time that can be achieved as applications for naturalisation must be processed in a way which preserves the necessary checks and balances to ensure that it is not undervalued and is only given to persons who genuinely satisfy the necessary qualifying criteria. However, I understand that the person concerned is a refugee and 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.

I am informed that there is a discrepancy between the address the Deputy has provided and the address my Department holds on file. It is the responsibility of the applicant to keep the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) informed of any change of address in writing.