Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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185. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current and-or expected position in regard to eligibility for permission to remain and-or naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44569/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the processing of the application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy, who currently has permission to reside in the State until 20 February 2019, is on-going. 

A letter issued to the person concerned on 3 October 2018 requesting certain documentation and a reply is awaited. Upon receipt of the requested documentation the case will be further processed. 

As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour 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. 

It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. While most straightforward cases are now 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. 

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department 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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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186. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when permission to remain or naturalisation is likely in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44570/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the application for permission to remain in the State in respect of the person concerned is under consideration and a decision will issue by the end of November.

The Deputy may be aware that I launched a new scheme last week, which will allow certain non-EEA nationals, who came to Ireland to study between January 2005 and December 2010, to apply for permission to remain in the State. The person concerned may also wish to consult the INIS website at www.inis.gov.ie for further information.

Under the scheme, eligible applicants may apply for a permission to remain in the State including the right to reside and work in the State and will be subject to renewal after two years. Modest fees will be charged under the scheme which will be open for on-line applications until 20 January 2019. 

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department 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.