Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 131: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the position regarding the case of persons (details supplied). [35540/10]

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if he will meet persons (details supplied) to discuss their case. [35542/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 133 together.

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 April 2008 and I decided in my absolute discretion not to grant a certificate of naturalisation. The person concerned was informed of this decision in a letter issued to him on 3 February, 2009.

The granting of Irish Citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour and not an entitlement. Applications 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. I do not consider that a meeting would serve any beneficial purpose.

Having regard to the overall resources available, which are kept under constant review, the procedures involved in the processing of applications for certificates of naturalisation have been developed and refined over a number of years and I am satisfied that they are necessary and sufficient to maintain the integrity of the naturalisation process. There is no appeals process under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act ,1956, as amended, however it is open to the person in question to lodge a new application for a certificate of naturalisation with the Citizenship Division of my Department at any time.