Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the procedure to be followed in the case of a person (details supplied) and their children to regularise their residency, update their Stamp 4 and prepare to apply for naturalisation in view of the fact that they are an EU national, holding an alien’s passport; the procedures to be followed to achieve a satisfactory solution in this instance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38753/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I refer the deputy to my reply to parliamentary Question No. 627 of 11 January, 2012 which is set out below.

I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that the person referred to by the Deputy was granted permission to remain in the State for one year in 2000 under the arrangements then in place for the non-EEA parents of Irish born children. This permission was renewed subsequently and the last renewal period was valid to 1 September 2008, the expiry date on her Latvian aliens passport.

In light of her current circumstances and given that her previous registration had lapsed for over 12 months, the person concerned cannot have her period of registration renewed without having obtained a formal renewal decision letter from my Department. Accordingly, the person concerned should now make a formal written renewal request to my Department, c/o the Irish Immigration and Naturalisation Service (INIS), PO Box 10003, Dublin 1. Upon receipt of such renewal application, the case of the person concerned will be examined by the relevant officials in my Department. Once a decision has been made, this decision and the consequences of the decision will be conveyed in writing to the person concerned.

I am informed that an application was received in INIS by her solicitor to regularise her status in the State on 23 August, 2012. This application is currently being examined by the relevant officials in INIS and a decision will be communicated to her shortly.

Applications were submitted for a Certificate of Naturalisation by the person concerned and her two children, one of whom was a minor, in August 2005. My predecessor, at his absolute discretion, decided to refuse the applications. The applicants were informed of the Minister's decision and the reasons for the decision in letters issued to them in 2009. Judicial Review proceedings were initiated in the High Court challenging the decisions. As these proceedings are ongoing, the matter is sub judice and it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on this case at this time.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.