Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

891. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the length of time it currently takes for a citizenship application to be processed; the reason a person (details supplied) has still not had their application determined after 21 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27693/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department, with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation. It will be submitted to me for decision in due course.

Whilst the median processing time for standard adult applications now currently stands at 19 months, the cited citizenship application referred to by the Deputy is an Irish Association application as provided for in s16 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act.

Section 16 of the Act gives the Minister discretion to waive the statutory conditions in certain circumstances, including where the applicant is of Irish descent or Irish associations (related through blood, affinity or adoption to a person who is or is entitled to be an Irish citizen). Any application under Section 16 that relies on Irish associations and affinity should be supported by substantive documentation that in the Minister’s view, renders the application exceptional and one where the normal pathways to citizenship provided for under the legislation are not appropriate.

Due to their complexity and the issues involved at present Irish Association cases are taking in excess of 30 months to process.

There is no automatic right or entitlement to have any of the statutory conditions waived even where the applicant comes within the certain circumstances defined. This discretion is used very rarely and only under the most exceptional and compelling circumstances. Given the complexity of the matter, Citizenship Division of my Department are in the process of preparing comprehensive guidelines, which will be made available to applicants for naturalisation on the basis of Irish Associations and these are nearing completion.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, 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 Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.