Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 January 2013
152. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the current status and possible eligibility for naturalisation through particular procedures to be followed in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2219/13]
View answerThe person concerned arrived in the State in May 2005 together with his wife, a Czech national. He applied for residency in the State and this was granted on 22 August 2005 on the basis of his marriage to an EU citizen who was exercising her EU treaty rights in the State. In August 2007 permission to remain was granted for a period of five years. The person concerned then applied for permanent residency in the State in or around December 2010. This was refused by letter dated 15 June 2011. A review of the refusal was subsequently requested in August 2011. Following the review by letter dated 6 December 2011, the applicant’s application for permanent residency was refused. Judicial review proceedings challenging this decision were brought in March 2012. As the matter is currently before the courts it is sub judice and I do not propose to comment further.
I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that an application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy in March, 2011. The application is being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation, such as good character and lawful residence, and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible.
As well as being a significant event in the life of its recipient, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation as provided for in law is also a major step for the State which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
Queries regarding the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility 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 questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service, except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
