278. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of applications for naturalisation which satisfied the statutory conditions in section 15(1) of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, but which were nonetheless refused in the exercise of the Minister's discretion, in each of the past five years; the nature and extent of any data or evidence held by his Department on deficiencies in English, Irish or Irish Sign Language proficiency among applicants for naturalisation; and whether any such data informed the proposal to introduce mandatory language testing. [66112/26]

All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended.

I can inform the Deputy that my Department does not collate statistics on the number of applications refused under Section 15.

Proficiency in either English or Irish does not form part of the current statutory criteria for naturalisation. Accordingly, my Department does not collect or record information on applicants' proficiency in either language for naturalisation purposes.

Government recently approved the priority drafting of legislation to amend aspects of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956. The General Scheme of the Bill, which will be published shortly, includes proposals to create a power to introduce language tests in either English, Irish or Irish Sign Language, together with an Irish civics, society and politics test.

The policy objective underpinning these reforms is to strengthen the integrity, durability and public confidence in the naturalisation system and to support the integration of those who seek to become Irish citizens.