Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 June 2021
523. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice if a person who has applied for citizenship (details supplied) will be allowed to travel to another part of Europe to take up a job opportunity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29552/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 29 May 2020. This application is currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation and will be submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible.
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.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
All non-EEA nationals are required to keep their permission to remain in the State up to date at all times, and to have such permission registered. Failure to do so, may adversely affect an application for a certificate of naturalisation.
A person who has made an application for citizenship is permitted to take reasonable breaks from the State for the purposes of holidays or family reasons. However, to take up an offer of employment in another country would not be in keeping with this concession. It is open to the applicant to withdraw their current application and to reapply if or when they return to the State.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, 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 Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
