Written answers

Tuesday, 9 June 2009

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Citizenship Applications

8:00 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 355: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position in respect of the application for citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22176/09]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Officials in the Citizenship Division of my Department inform me that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question.

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 356: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will revisit the refusal of a naturalisation application in the case of a person (details supplied); his views on whether it is fair to deny naturalisation due to circumstances outside the person's control when the applicant has fulfilled all the necessary criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22192/09]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot 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 May 2007 and I decided in my absolute discretion not to grant a certificate of naturalisation. The reasons for refusal were disclosed to the person concerned in a letter issued to her on 6 May, 2009. It is open to the person in question to lodge a new application with the Citizenship Division of this Department at any time.

Photo of Ciarán LynchCiarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 357: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a decision will be made in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22202/09]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot 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 June 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 late 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 the status of citizenship is not undervalued and is only given to persons who genuinely satisfy the necessary qualifying criteria.

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 358: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the timescale as of 1 May 2009 for a decision to be taken on an application for naturalisation for what might be considered a straightforward case; when the process of scrutiny will begin on an application submitted in August 2006; the average timescale from the date the process of dealing with a straightforward application starts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22233/09]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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In the absence of details relating to a specific case, the Deputy will appreciate that I am unable to provide a definitive response. However, I can advise of the position generally. Applications for certificates of naturalisation are dealt with in chronological order as this is deemed to be the fairest to all applicants. Each application is processed on its own merits. Less complicated cases would be expected to have a processing timescale around or below the current average processing time of 23 months. The Citizenship Division is currently commencing further processing of applications received in late 2007.

All applications received in August 2006 are being further processed or have been finalised. 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. Statistics are not broken down between straightforward and more complicated cases as these are not discrete categories. 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 the status of citizenship is not undervalued and is only given to persons who genuinely satisfy the necessary qualifying criteria.

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