Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 347: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding an application for citizenship through naturalisation of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37032/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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A valid 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 March 2008.

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 of my Department inform me that further processing of the application has commenced and 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.

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 348: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the immigration status of persons (details supplied) in Dublin 8; if he will clarify their entitlement to live and work here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37066/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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A valid application for a certificate of naturalisation from the first named person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Division of my Department in June 2009.

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.

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.

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 second named person referred to in the Deputy's Question.

Citizens of Romania and Bulgaria became members of the European Union on the 1st January 2007 and as such are covered by the provisions of the European Free Movement of Persons Directive. The persons in question as citizens of Bulgaria, who have been legally resident in the State for a number of years prior to 1st January 2007, will have the same rights as a citizen of an existing EU member state including access to the labour market.