Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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685. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if a person (details supplied) is eligible to apply for naturalisation notwithstanding a number of summonses that have been paid; if the case will be favourably considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36585/19]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The eligibility criteria for becoming an Irish citizen by naturalisation is set out in the website of the Immigration Service of my Department (www.inis.gov.ie).  One of the criteria is that a person must be of good character. Any interaction that a person has had with An Garda Síochána or other law enforcement authorities or with the courts will be considered. 

As the Deputy will appreciate, it is not possible to indicate in advance of a full assessment of an application whether a decision on an application will be positive or not.

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

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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686. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when eligibility to apply for naturalisation will be clarified in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36586/19]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Immigration Service of my Department that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy. As the Deputy will appreciate, a determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to naturalisation can only be made after an application is received.

It is open to any individual to lodge an application for a certificate of naturalisation 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, which governs the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation. Detailed information on Irish citizenship and naturalisation, as well as the relevant application forms, is available on the Immigration Service website at www.inis.gov.ie.

In relation to applications for citizenship, I am aware that the recent judgment of the High Court relating to continuous residency under Section 15(1)(c) of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956 (as amended) has given cause for concern. The matter remains before the courts with the lodgement of an appeal before the Court of Appeal and is therefore sub-judice. I can, however, assure the Deputy that my Department is continuing to work on finding solutions to the situation as quickly as possible. The best interests of both current and future applicants are foremost in these considerations and on 25 July 2019 I obtained Cabinet approval for the drafting of a Bill, which seeks to resolve the issue.  

My officials are working with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel in the Attorney General’s Office to have a bill drafted on an urgent basis and be brought before the Houses of the Oireachtas as quickly as possible on resumption of business in mid-September. Further updates, as they become available, will be posted on the Immigration Service website.

The Immigration Service are advising those who are planning to apply for citizenship to continue to collect all of the necessary proofs that support their application and to submit a comprehensive application form. Once a solution is in place, if any additional information is required, applicants will be contacted as part of the processing of the application.

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