Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
1208. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the delays faced by Dublin residents wishing to make first-time applications to the INIS; and if consideration will be given to allowing Dublin residents attend immigration units that remain open outside of Dublin for this purpose. [14258/21]
View answerDue to the public health restrictions currently in place under Level 5 of the Government's Framework for Restrictive Measures in Response to Covid-19, the Registration Office in Burgh Quay has been closed since 23 December 2020, until further notice.
To ensure that people do not fall out of permission during the Covid-19 pandemic, six automatic extensions of immigration permissions have been provided, the most recent to 20 April 2021. The renewal of permission is on the same basis as the existing permission and the same conditions attach.
The requirement to register an immigration permission in person, for those living in Dublin, will not arise until the Registration Office reopens in line with the Government’s Roadmap. First time registrations require the taking of biometric information (fingerprints) so it is not possible to do these registrations online.
Customers residing in Dublin, who had appointments cancelled for a first-time registration and who provided a valid email address when making their appointment, will be contacted by the Immigration Service of my Department and given a new appointment date.
Registrations outside of the Dublin area are processed by the Garda National Immigration Bureau through the Garda Station network. Information on the contact details for all the registration offices outside Dublin is available at: https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/office-of-corporate-communications/news-media/reopening-of-registration-offices.html.
Further updates will be provided on the Immigration Service website when available at: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/COVID-19-updates-and-announcements.
Changes to arrangements to permit Dublin residents to register outside of Dublin are not under consideration. Furthermore I am advised by the Garda Commissioner that operational capacity at each immigration office outside the Dublin Metropolitan Region would not permit such a change.
