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Foreign Birth Registration

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2021

Wednesday, 31 March 2021

Questions (524)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

524. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of pending foreign birth registrations for minor children; the average processing times by applications based on having an Irish citizen parent, applications based on having a parent who is an Irish citizen through naturalisation and applications based on having a grandparent born here, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17253/21]

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Written answers

The total number of Foreign Birth Registration applications submitted on behalf of minors that are waiting to be processed by the Passport Service is 7,176. A breakdown of this figure is set out in the table below.

Applicant Details

Numbers

Grandparent born in Ireland

4980

Naturalised parent

634

Parent already entered on FBR

1484

Adoption

47

Post nuptial Declaration

31

My Department operates a clear and transparent general policy of processing FBR applications in order of receipt. However, we will consider urgent requests to expedite an application on a case by case basis. During Level 5 restrictions, applicants can make contact with the Passport Service through the WebChat service.

The delivery of the FBR service has been paused under Level 5 restrictions of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19 since 24 December 2020. This service will resume to full operations once Level 3 restrictions of the Framework are in place. However, it should be noted that given the loss of output in this service due to Level 5 restrictions in the last year and given the continued large volume of applications received over this period, it is anticipated that it will take approximately eighteen months to process applications.

The Passport Service is planning to increase resources, once the service is resumed, to clear all arrears and to make efforts to return to a six month processing time.

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