Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 116: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position of an application for a certificate of naturalisation by a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32710/09]

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 June 2007.

All applications are dealt with in chronological order as this is deemed to be the fairest to all applicants. The average processing time from application to decision is now at 24 months. More complicated cases can at times take more than the current average, while an element of straight forward cases can be dealt with in less than that timescale. Officials in the Citizenship Division inform me that processing of the application has been finalised and the file will be submitted to me for a decision in the near future. The length of time taken to process each application should not be classified as a delay, as the length of time taken for any application to be decided is purely a function of the time taken to carry out necessary checks.

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.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will support the case of a person (details supplied). [32743/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that they have not as yet received an application from the persons mentioned by the Deputy. The persons concerned should be advised to write to the General Immigration Division, INIS, which is located at 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, providing full details and documentation of their current circumstances and of their future intentions with regard to remaining in Ireland in order for the matter to be considered further.