Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 June 2016
123. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of representations she has received from Members of the Oireachtas and the number of these to which she had not issued a substantive reply by 31 May 2016, by month of initial receipt, from 1 January 2015 to 30 April 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15041/16]
View answerThe specific information requested by the Deputy cannot be easily derived from the main Ministerial Correspondence Tracking System in my Department. In particular, detailed information on the substance and timelines of the responses issued is not readily available from current records. However, in order to be of assistance to the Deputy, information can be provided in terms of the specific numbers of queries received and responded to from Members of the Oireachtas in the timeframe outlined. This information is currently being collated and verified and will be provided directly to the Deputy inasmuch as it is readily available.
In terms of overall correspondence levels, over 9,000 individual hard copy letters and e-mails addressed to me were logged on my Departmental correspondence system during the period in question.
In addition, a dedicated email enquiry service is provided by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS), which has been established for the exclusive use of Oireachtas members.
This system processed a total of 5,327 queries/representations in the period 1 Jan 2015 to 30 April 2016. Responses to these queries issued in all cases; in some cases seeking further clarification in order to assist with the query.
