Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 480: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding an application by a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; the reason for the delay in processing same application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28863/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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 2006.

The average processing time from application to decision is now at 23 months. More complicated cases can at times take more than the current average while an element of straightforward 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. Officials in the Citizenship Division of my Department inform me that processing of the application is complete and the file will be shortly submitted to me for a decision.