Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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201. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality tthe position regarding eligibility for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40346/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that a valid application for a certificate of naturalisation has been received from the person referred to by the Deputy.

The Deputy will appreciate that the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation as provided for in law is a major step for the State 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. The application is currently at an advanced stage of processing and the person concerned will be informed of my decision in due course.

The Deputy may wish to note that 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 established specifically 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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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202. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding determination of eligibility for stamp 4/naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40347/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned was granted temporary permission to remain in the State in 2000 under the arrangements then applicable to the non-EEA national parents of Irish born citizen children. This permission was renewed on a regular basis until 2010. The person concerned applied to the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) to have his permission renewed prior to December 2010. His request was not processed due to concerns regarding his being part of a family unit. However, following consideration and receipt of all requested documentation from the person concerned, my officials granted him a further period of twelve months permission to remain in the State from 9 May, 2012.

The person concerned wrote to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department in April, 2013 to seek further permission to remain in the State. He was requested to provide up to date documentation regarding his family situation and finances by letter dated 22 May, 2013. Some documentation was supplied by the person concerned but it was not considered sufficient. Further documentation regarding the family situation of the person concerned was requested by letter dated 23 July, 2013. To date this additional documentation has not been received. Upon receipt of the appropriate documentation, the case of the person concerned will be examined by the relevant officials in the INIS and a decision communicated to him in due course.

Officials in the Citizenship Division of the INIS inform me that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question.

It is open to any individual to lodge an application for citizenship if and when they are in a position to meet the statutory requirements as prescribed in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 as amended.

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.