Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 20 Jun 1996

Vol. 467 No. 3

Written Answers. - Naturalisation Certificates.

Eric J. Byrne

Question:

89 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Justice the number of applications for naturalisation certificates in each of the years from 1990 to 1995; the number of approvals granted in each of these years; the countries of origin of the applicants accepted and refused; the plans, if any, she has to amend the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956 in order to provide for rejected applicants to receive information in respect of the reason for their refusal and so as to increase the transparency of the process as a whole; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13120/96]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

The following is the statistical information requested by the Deputy:

	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995
Number of applications	560	472	256	283	295
Number of Certificates issued	188	150	133	175	355

It should be noted that a proportion of the certificates issued each year relates to applications received in a previous year.

Records of refusal of applications for naturalisation only date back to 1 April 1992. There were 116 applications refused between 1 April and 31 December 1992. Figures of refusals for 1993, 1994 and 1995 were 107, 81 and 100 respectively. It should be explained that many of the those classed as "refusals" on first application would have been naturalised at a later date, having at that time complied with the statutory requirements. It would involve a disproportionate use of staff resources to prepare an analysis of the cases on the basis of country of origin.

The review of practices within the Immigration of Citizenship Division with a view to improving its services to the public, including making the process more transparent, is an ongoing process. Developments in this respect in relation to the granting of citizenship do not necessarily require statutory change.