Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 144: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the current status of an application for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has worked in this country for the past five years and holds a stamp 4 visa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16655/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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 October 2007 and my predecessor decided to refuse the application on 17 February, 2010. The person concerned was informed of this in a letter issued to her on 9 March, 2010.

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.

I should remind the Deputy that queries in relation to the status of individual Immigration cases may be made direct to INIS by Email using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. The service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek this information through the more administratively expensive Parliamentary Questions process.