Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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118. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding naturalisation in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [28408/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that applications were received from the parents of the family referred to by the Deputy in May 2011 and June 2012 respectively.

Section 15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister may, in his absolute discretion, grant a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. One such condition is that the applicant intends in good faith to continue to reside in the State after naturalisation.

In regard to the first application, as the person referred to by the Deputy did not confirm on her application form that she intended to reside in the State after naturalisation, one of the statutory conditions for naturalisation, her application was deemed ineligible. The person concerned was informed of this in a letter dated 26 May 2011.

It is open to any individual to lodge an application for citizenship if and when they are in a position to meet the prescribed statutory requirements.

The application of the other parent has entered the final stage of processing and I intend to grant citizenship. Letters have issued to this person asking them to submit the prescribed fee and other documents. Upon receipt of the fees and documentation, the case will be finalised. The person concerned will be invited in due course to attend a citizenship ceremony, at which they will make a declaration of fidelity to the Irish Nation and loyalty to the State and receive their certificate of naturalisation.

The officials in the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) inform me that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the third person named to in the Deputy's question.

Section 15 of 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. The conditions are that the applicant must be of full age; be of good character; have had a period of one year's continuous residency in the State immediately before the date of application and, during the eight years immediately preceding that period, have had a total residence in the State amounting to four years; intend in good faith to continue to reside in the State after naturalisation; have, before a judge of the District Court in open court, in a citizenship ceremony or in such manner as the Minister, for special reasons, allows (i) made a declaration, in the prescribed manner, of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State, and (ii) undertaken to faithfully observe the laws of the State and to respect its democratic values.

It is open to this person, who is now over the age of 18 years, to lodge an application in her own right if and when she is in a position to satisfy the statutory requirements.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to 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 INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.