Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 July 2014
593. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress in the determination of eligibility for stamp 4-naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32582/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is a sibling of an Irish born citizen child born in the state prior to 1 January, 2005, whose parents were granted permission to remain in the State in 2005, under the revised arrangements applicable to the non-EEA national parents of Irish born citizen children born in the State before 1 January, 2005, more commonly known as IBC/05 Scheme. The person concerned was granted permission to remain in the State on a stamp 3 basis, by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), in line with her father's permission on 18 December, 2012. Her permission is currently valid until 10 June, 2016. The person concerned may make a written application for an upgrade of her current permission to remain in the State to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) PO BOX 10003, Dublin 1. She should enclose her original passport, her original birth certificate, two passport size photos (signed on the back), and letter from school/college to prove continuous residency in the state with her application. Upon receipt of the appropriate documentation, her case will be examined by the relevant officials in the INIS and a decision communicated to her in due course. I am advised by the INIS of my Department that a valid application for a certificate of naturalisation has been received on behalf the person concerned.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour 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. I am informed that this application is now at an advanced stage of processing and the applicant will be informed of my decision in due course. Queries in relation to the Status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the 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 the INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
