An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the citizenship section of my Department on 12 July 2005. His application was examined shortly after receipt and it was determined that he did not have the required reckonable residency and was, therefore, ineligible for naturalisation. The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. In the case of a non-national applicant who is the spouse of an Irish citizen those conditions are that the applicant must be of full age; be of good character; be married to the Irish citizen for at least three years; be in a marriage recognised under the laws of the State as subsisting; be living together as husband and wife with the Irish spouse; have had a period of one year's continuous residency in the island of Ireland immediately before the date of the application and, during the four years immediately preceding that period, have had a total residence in the island of Ireland amounting to two years; intend in good faith to continue to reside in the island of Ireland after naturalisation; and have made, before a judge of the District Court in open court or in such a manner as the Minister, for special reasons allows, a declaration in the prescribed manner, of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State. The individual concerned and his wife were married on 5 March 2004. The earliest he is eligible to apply for naturalisation is 5 March 2007, provided he has been resident in the island of Ireland continuously during that three-year period.