Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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63. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Muslims who have applied for Irish citizenship in the past three years; the number of these who are legally living here for the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17652/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The entitlement to Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. Section 15 of the Act provides that the Minister may, in her 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 further 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.

The accompanying Regulations, SI No. 569 of 2011, prescribes the form to be used by a person applying for citizenship and details the information to be provided by the applicant. In accordance with the provisions of the Act as outlined above, this information does not include any requirement fordetails of a person's religion and accordingly the information sought by Deputy is not available.