Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the current and/or anticipated residency and citizenship status and entitlement based on the progress to date in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20650/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) in January, 2010. The application is at an advanced stage of processing and will be finalised as expeditiously as possible.

In that context, I can inform the Deputy that I recently announced a series of measures within my Department to provide for speedier processing of citizenship applications to bring about a substantial reduction in the processing timescale. The new arrangements include improved application forms that came into force on Friday, 24th June, 2011, and are currently available online with an associated online residence checker, streamlined and accelerated procedures for certain types of application and plans to recruit interns under the new Internship Programme. These measures are targeted at clearing the backlog of applications awaiting a decision in excess of six months by spring of next year and from that time on the aim is, save in exceptional circumstances, that persons applying for citizenship will be given a decision on their application within six months.

The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.

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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 238: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress made to date in the determination of residency and/or citizenship entitlement in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20651/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Arising from the refusal of his asylum application, and in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the person concerned was notified, by letter dated 21st March, 2006, that the Minister proposed to make a Deportation Order in respect of him. He was given the options, to be exercised within 15 working days, of leaving the State voluntarily, of consenting to the making of a Deportation Order or of making representations to the Minister setting out the reasons why a Deportation Order should not be made against him. Representations have been received on behalf of the person concerned.

The position in the State of the person concerned will now be decided by reference to the provisions of Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and Section 5 of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended) on the prohibition of refoulement. All representations submitted will be considered before the file is passed to me for decision. Once a decision has been made, this decision and the consequences of the decision will be conveyed in writing to the person concerned.

I should remind the Deputy that queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly 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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress made to date in the matter of determination of citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20653/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the Citizenship Section of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) in May, 2011. On examination of the application it was determined that the person concerned did not meet the statutory requirements as set out in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. A letter informing the applicant of this was issued on 7th June, 2011. The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.

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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 240: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the current position on determination of entitlement in respect of residency and/or citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20654/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that the person referred to by the Deputy claimed asylum in the State on 20th March, 2000 and had their claim examined by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner who recommended that they be recognised as a refugee. Based on this recommendation, a formal declaration of refugee status was issued on 20th March, 2002 and the person concerns continues to hold the status of refugee in the State. Full details in relation to the eligibility criteria for naturalisation including recently introduced streamlined application forms and a naturalisation residency calculator are available on the INIS website (www.inis.gov.ie).

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding determination of citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20655/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am advised that an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) in February, 2006 and the Minister decided to refuse the application on 22nd July, 2008. The person concerned was informed of this and the reasons for it in a letter issued on 28th July, 2008. It is open to the person concerned to lodge a new application for a certificate of naturalisation if and when they are in a position to meet the statutory requirements. However, in doing so they should bear in mind the reasons for refusal of his previous application.

The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.

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.