Vol. 524 No. 3
171 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason for the refusal of an application for naturalisation or citizenship by a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if he will reconsider this application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22426/00]
The position is that the person referred to applied for a certificate of naturalisation in December 1998. The application was processed based on the person's individual circumstances and I decided not to grant a certificate of naturalisation. The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended in 1986, provides that the granting of a certificate of naturalisation is at my absolute discretion and it is not policy, therefore, to disclose the reasons for refusal in an individual case. Furthermore, the aforementioned Act does not contain any provisions for appeal against my decision.
The person referred to by the Deputy may apply again in the future provided that the statutory requirements are complied with at that time. Any such application will be considered under the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts.
