Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 379: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason he will not certify a copy of a passport held by him for a prolonged period forming part of an application for naturalisation in order to allow the applicant progress with a driving licence application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25683/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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At the outset I would like to advise the Deputy that documents submitted by an applicant as evidence of identity or nationality, or in support of a case to remain in the State, can only be returned to that applicant once the case has had a definitive outcome.

Insofar as the case referred to by the Deputy is concerned, a copy of a passport submitted by the person concerned during the course of her asylum application was sent to her legal representative on 27th April, 2011. As a matter of policy my Department does not certify such documentation.

The Deputy should note that as the person concerned has not established a right of legal residency in the State, the issue of an application for naturalisation does not arise at this time.

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.