Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 February 2013
137. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding determination of residency/eligibility for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6555/13]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that an application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the first named person in June, 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. A letter issued to the person concerned on the 30th January 2013 requesting further information and documentation. Upon receipt of the requested documentation the application 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. It is open to any individual to lodge an application for a Certificate of Naturalisation when he or she is in a position to satisfy the statutory requirements.
The person concerned and his wife were granted temporary permission to remain in the State on 11 July, 2005 for a two year period, under the revised arrangement applicable to non-EEA national parents of Irish born citizen children born in the State before 1 January, 2005, more commonly known as the IBC/05 Scheme. This permission was renewed on several occasions and is currently valid until 11 July, 2013. Minor children under the age of sixteen who are in the care of non-EU national parents who have been granted permission to remain in the State under the IBC/05 Scheme, avail of the same permission to remain as that granted to their parents. When such minor children reach sixteen years of age they are obliged to register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau in their own right. One of the children of the person concerned has registered with the Garda National Immigration Bureau and has temporary permission to remain until 11 July, 2013.
Queries in relation to 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.
