Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 June 2010
360 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the position regarding an application for family reunification in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28057/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer the Deputy to my previous replies to his Parliamentary Questions. I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that a letter issued to the person referred to by the Deputy on 18th June 2010. I am further informed by INIS that on receipt of a response from the person referred to by the Deputy the case will be considered further.
361 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the position regarding residency or citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28058/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraA valid application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Division of my Department in November 2007.
All valid applications are dealt with in chronological order as this is deemed to be the fairest to all applicants. The average processing time from application to decision is now at 26 months. More complicated cases can at times take more than the current average, while an element of straight forward cases can be dealt with in less than that timescale. However, I understand that the person concerned is a refugee. In accordance with the Government's obligations under the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, every effort is made to ensure that applications from persons with refugee status are dealt with as quickly as possible. Officials in the Citizenship Division inform me that further processing of the application is ongoing and the file will be submitted to me for a decision in due course.
The length of time taken to process each application should not be classified as a delay, as the length of time taken for any application to be decided is purely a function of the time taken to carry out necessary checks. There is a limit to the reduction in the processing time that can be achieved as applications for naturalisation must be processed in a way which preserves the necessary checks and balances to ensure that it is not undervalued and is only given to persons who genuinely satisfy the necessary qualifying criteria.
Officials in the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department inform me that there is no record of an application for Long Term Residency from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question. I am also informed that there is a discrepancy between the address that the Deputy has provided and the address that my Department holds on file, the onus is on the applicant to keep my Department informed of any such change of address in writing.
363 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the position regarding an application for citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 20; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28060/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Division of my Department in March 2008. On examination of the application submitted it was determined that the person in question did not meet the statutory residency requirements as set out in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended. The person concerned was informed of this in a letter issued to her on 16 September 2008.
It is open to the person concerned to lodge a new application for a certificate of naturalisation with the Citizenship Division of my Department if and when they are in a position to meet the statutory requirements.
