Vol. 543 No. 5
101 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason the report of the review group established following the abolition of the scheme of investment based naturalisation to examine the arrangements for granting business permits to individuals to reside here and to obtain Irish citizenship, has not been published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27708/01]
The review group on investment based naturalisation was established to review the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act to see how it might facilitate investment and, if in the course of that review, information emerged that would warrant additional legislative measures, such change should be considered.
My stated position on a number of occasions in this matter is that the scheme has been abolished and I have no plans to re-introduce it. Second, the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 2001, which was enacted on 6 June last, made extensive changes to Irish citizenship law as enunciated in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts, 1956 to 1994 and I do not intend to revisit the issue of investment based naturalisation in the context of legislative change.
Consequently, the level of priority afforded to the examination of the report of the review group in my Department was commensurate with these realities. Notwithstanding that, I expect to be in a position to submit the report of the working group to Government shortly. Once the report has been considered by Government, I will arrange for publication.
