Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Feb 2001

Vol. 531 No. 3

Written Answers. - Naturalisation Applications.

David Stanton

Question:

379 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the criteria he employs when deciding on applications for certificates of naturalisation; the number of such applications received, granted and denied each year for the past four years; the country of origin in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5847/01]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue):

Section 15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended in 1986, provides that I may grant a certificate of naturalisation at my absolute discretion if I am satisfied that the applicant: (a) is of full age; (b) is of good character; (c) has had a period of one year's continuous residence in the State immediately before the date of the application and, during the eight years immediately preceding that period, has had a total residence in the State amounting to four years; (d) intends in good faith to continue to reside in the State after naturalisation; and (e) has made, either before a justice of the District Court in open court or in such manner as the Minister, for special reasons, allows, a declaration in the prescribed manner of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State.

Section 16 of the Acts provides that I may waive some or all of the conditions set out in section 15 in certain circumstances, including where the applicant is of Irish descent or associations, is married to a naturalised Irish citizen or is the minor child of a naturalised Irish citizen.

The following table sets out the statistical information requested by the Deputy:

Year	Applications received	Certificates issued	Applications refused
2000	1004	125	18
1999	739	416	30
1998	588	352	32
1997	650	297	33

The numbers of certificates issued or applications refused in a given year do not necessarily refer to applications received in that year. In relation to the number of applications refused, it is likely that a number of these persons would have been naturalised subsequently on foot of a further application. Statistics are not compiled in such a manner which shows the number of applicants from each country of origin. It would involve a disproportionate use of staff resources to prepare such an analysis.