Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 746: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when certification of naturalisation will be forwarded to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34486/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended provides that the Minister may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. One such condition is that the Minister must be satisfied that the applicant is of good character. In pursuance of this condition, the Citizenship Division of my Department routinely receive reports from an Garda Síochána on each applicant.

An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Division in June 2005 and the Minister decided to refuse the application on 8 October, 2008. The person concerned was informed of this in a letter issued to her on 9 October, 2008. A copy of the letter was re-issued to the person concerned on 2 September, 2009.

There is no appeals process under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended.

It is open to the person concerned to lodge a new application for a certificate of naturalisation if and when she is in a position to meet the statutory requirements. However, in doing so she should bear in mind the reasons for refusal of her previous application.