Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 96: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who have become naturalised citizens since November 2011; if he will detail the reason for the high fees of €950 for a citizenship certificate for those in certain categories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13862/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Since November 2011, I have made a decision on over 5,000 applications. I expect to make a final decision on a further 4,000 cases over the coming weeks.

The prescribed fees to be paid by applicants on the issue of a certificate of naturalisation were last increased by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Fees) Regulations 2008, which came into effect on 1 August 2008. The standard certification fee is €950 while a reduced fee of €200 applies in the case of an application made on behalf of a minor or in certain circumstances when the application is made by a widow, widower or surviving civil partner of an Irish citizen. In the case of refugees and stateless persons the fee is nil.

The increases in certification fees were in line with inflation for the period 1993 to 2008. While the fees are designed to reflect the effort and cost involved in processing the different categories of applicant, the certification fees do not recoup the full cost of processing the applications.

In November 2011, I signed into law Statutory Instrument 569/11, which introduced an application fee of €175 for applications for a certificate of naturalisation. The application fee was introduced to contribute towards the costs of processing those applications that do not attract any certification fee and to reduce the proportion of invalid and ineligible applications being lodged. The Statutory Instrument also introduced a series of changes to the application forms, in particular to facilitate applicants who are the civil partners of Irish citizens.

As the Deputy will be aware I have introduced formal citizenship ceremonies at no extra cost to applicants. These have been very well received by all participants as the ceremonies provide a sense of occasion that serves to underscore the importance to both the State and the applicant of the granting of Irish citizenship.