Written Answers. - Asylum Applications.
Jim O'Keeffe
Ceist:
373
Mr. J. O'Keeffe
asked the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
the number of applications for Irish citizenship granted and refused for each of the past three years and to date in the current year; and the number of applications on hand awaiting decision.
[21896/00]
Nora Owen
Ceist:
385
Mrs. Owen
asked the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
the number of post-nuptial citizenships awarded in 1998, 1999 and 2000; the number of applications that were received in each of the past years 1998, 1999 and to date in 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22112/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 373 and 385 together.
The statistics required by the Deputies are set out in tabular form and are broken down into two categories of citizenship, that is, naturalisation and post-nuptial as follows:
Naturalisation
Number granted:
|
|
|
Number refused:
|
1997
|
309
|
1997
|
68
|
1998
|
372
|
1998
|
31
|
1999
|
422
|
1999
|
69
|
2000 to date:
|
100
|
2000 to date
|
18
|
Naturalisation
Number pending1,882
Post Nuptial Declarations
Number of declarations received
|
Irish
|
|
Foreign*
|
1997
|
345
|
1997
|
707
|
1998
|
330
|
1998
|
900
|
1999
|
415
|
1999
|
827
|
2000 to date
|
350
|
2000 to date
|
682
|
Number of declarations accepted**:
|
Irish
|
|
Foreign*
|
1997
|
260
|
1997
|
724
|
1998
|
282
|
1998
|
840
|
1999
|
309
|
1999
|
708
|
2000 to date
|
123
|
2000 to date
|
613
|
Number of declarations refused**:
|
Irish
|
|
Foreign*
|
1997
|
7
|
1997
|
3
|
1998
|
1
|
1998
|
4
|
1999
|
Nil
|
1999
|
4
|
2000 to date
|
Nil
|
2000 to date
|
4
|
Post Nuptial Declarations
Number pending700
*Applications lodged with the embassies abroad come under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs. The initial processing takes place in the embassies and the applications are finalised by the Department of Foreign Affairs. These applications are sent to my Department only when they are fully processed. The certificates of citizenship are issued by my Department and passed to the Department of Foreign Affairs for distribution to the various embassies around the world.
**The figures shown for declarations accepted and refused in a given calendar year, relate to some cases received prior to the year in question. Refusals in respect of declarations made abroad are dealt with by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
In relation to refusals, the Deputies should note that even in cases where an application has been unsuccessful the applicant can re-apply if circumstances change and a full re-examination of that fresh application is undertaken.
As part of the recent package of measures announced by the Government in relation to increased resources for the immigration and asylum areas, significant additional staffing resources are being allocated to the immigration and citizenship division of my Department with a view,inter alia, to reducing the time involved in processing such applications and improving the service provided. These resources will impact considerably on the present delays.