Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 677: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding an application for citizenship and family reunification in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33168/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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A valid application for 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 valid 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 further processing of the application is ongoing the file will be submitted to me for a decision in due course.

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. In the absence of more specific information, the Visa Office is not in a position to address the matter of Family Reunification as raised by the Deputy.

It is however, open to all persons resident outside the State, and who are visa required to apply through their nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate for the appropriate visa. Each visa application is considered on its individual merits the onus resting with the applicant to satisfy the Visa Officer as to why a visa should be granted. Comprehensive information when making a visa application is available on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (www.inis.gov.ie).