Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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490. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of citizenship applications granted and fees paid for the applications in each of the years 2007 to 2017. [54391/17]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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492. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the unit cost including administration of approving an Irish citizenship application. [54393/17]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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493. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of approved naturalised Irish citizens now here. [54394/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 490, 492 and 493 together.

I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the retrieval and compilation of the information requested by the Deputy for each of the past ten years would necessitate a disproportionate use of time and resources which could not be justified in circumstances where the priority is to deal with the cases on hand. Information can, however, be provided for the years 2011 to end 2017 inclusive and is shown in the following table.

It is not possible to provide a unit cost for the processing of citizenship applications. Every application for naturalisation is considered on its own individual merits and in accordance with the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. Applications can vary significantly in the processing required to bring an application to a conclusion. While most straightforward cases are generally processed within six months, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.

The fees to be paid by an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation are governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 569 of 2011). The prescribed application fee, stipulated at €175, is payable on application for a certificate of naturalisation and the prescribed certification fee is payable on the issue of a certificate of naturalisation. The standard certification fee is set at €950 (unchanged since 2008), while a reduced fee of €200 applies in the case of an application made on behalf of a minor or in certain cases where the application is made by a widow, widower or surviving civil partner of an Irish citizen. In the case of recognised refugees and stateless persons the certification fee is nil. 

The standard fees payable by an applicant are designed to reflect the effort and cost involved in processing applications for a certificate of naturalisation. Managing and dealing with incomplete applications consumes scarce processing resources and the application fee is designed to recoup some of the costs associated with the application process. The application fee is also intended to help cover costs associated with the processing of unsuccessful applications that often consume more processing time and resources than successful applications.

The Deputy will be aware that formal citizenship ceremonies have been introduced in 2011 at no extra cost to applicants. These have been universally well received by participants as the ceremonies provide a sense of dignity and occasion that serves to underscore the importance to both the State and the applicant of the granting of Irish citizenship. 

The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department does not maintain any register or statistics of naturalised Irish citizens who are resident in the State.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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491. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration has been given to reducing fees for citizenship applications and approvals. [54392/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The fees to be paid by an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation are governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 569 of 2011). The prescribed application fee, stipulated at €175, is payable on application for a certificate of naturalisation and a certification fee is payable on the issue of a certificate of naturalisation. The standard certification fee is set at €950 (unchanged since 2008), while a reduced fee of €200 applies in the case of an application made on behalf of a minor or in certain cases where the application is made by a widow, widower or surviving civil partner of an Irish citizen. In the case of recognised refugees and stateless persons the certification fee is nil. 

The standard fees payable by an applicant are designed to reflect the effort and cost involved in processing applications for a certificate of naturalisation. 

The Deputy will be aware that formal citizenship ceremonies have been introduced in 2011 at no extra cost to applicants. These have been universally well received by participants as the ceremonies provide a sense of dignity and occasion that serves to underscore the importance to both the State and the applicant of the granting of Irish citizenship. 

All of the fees payable under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, are kept under ongoing review by my Department; however, there are no plans to amend the fees.