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Thursday, 10 Mar 2022

Written Answers Nos. 361-370

Citizenship Applications

Questions (361)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

361. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date in the determination of an application for citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13798/22]

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Written answers

Applications for naturalisation received by my Department are processed in chronological order. The application for the person referred to by the Deputy will be registered in the coming weeks. Following initial assessment of the application, an application reference number will be issued by my Department. 

It is open to the person concerned to contact the Citizenship Division of my Department at: citizenshipinfo@justice.ie. They should quote their reference number when received in all further correspondence with my Department. 

My Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications and a number of digitisation measures have also been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times. From the beginning of this year, applicants are also no longer required to submit their original passport with their initial application.

In 2021, my Department issued 11,512 citizenship decisions, which is the highest number of decisions made since 2015, and reflects positively the significant changes undertaken to date. Additional staff have also been assigned to the citizenship team. Based on these measures, my Department's objective is to achieve an improved timeframe of 6-9 months for decisions on a majority of applications during 2022.

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.

Citizenship Applications

Questions (362)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

362. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date in the determination of an application for citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13799/22]

View answer

Written answers

Applications for naturalisation received by my Department are processed in chronological order. The application for the person referred to by the Deputy will be registered in the coming weeks. Following initial assessment of the application, an application reference number will be issued by my Department.

It is open to the person concerned to contact the Citizenship Division of my Department at: citizenshipinfo@justice.ie. They should quote their reference number when received in all further correspondence with my Department.

My Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications and a number of digitisation measures have also been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times. From the beginning of this year, applicants are also no longer required to submit their original passport with their initial application.

In 2021, my Department issued 11,512 citizenship decisions, which is the highest number of decisions made since 2015, and reflects positively the significant changes undertaken to date. Additional staff have also been assigned to the citizenship team. Based on these measures, my Department's objective is to achieve an improved timeframe of 6-9 months for decisions on a majority of applications during 2022.

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.

Citizenship Applications

Questions (363)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

363. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date in the determination of an application for citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13800/22]

View answer

Written answers

The application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy 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.

During this time, it is important that the person maintains their immigration permission and takes all appropriate steps to renew their permission to be in the State.

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.

My Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications and a number of digitisation measures have also been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eTax clearance, eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times.

Last year, my Department made 11,512 citizenship decisions, which is the highest level since 2015.  Additional staff have also been assigned to the citizenship team.  Based on these measures, my Department's objective is to achieve an improved timeframe of 6-9 months for decisions on a majority of applications during 2022.

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.

Disability Services

Questions (364)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

364. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health when transport will be provided for persons in Ballina and Killaloe, County Tipperary to the Lisnagry centre, Limerick for persons with intellectual disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13614/22]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Staff

Questions (365)

Cormac Devlin

Question:

365. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health if an update will be provided in relation to the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13808/22]

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Written answers

The person referred to in this case is one of a considerable number of hospital consultants who signed up to a Type A contract from 2020, when the Safety Net agreement was put in place with private hospitals to assist in our response to Covid-19. Their commitment to the public system has been instrumental in Ireland's response to the pandemic, and I commend and thank them for this.

A significant number of these consultants have submitted business cases requesting additional incremental credit beyond point 6 of their pay scale. To deal with these cases, my officials have been working through large volumes of submitted documentation, with relevant material to be considered.

I have asked my officials to process these requests as quickly as possible. I understand that a number of these requests will be submitted by my officials to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for consideration and decision shortly, in line with the Incremental Credit Framework. I look forward to these being completed and decisions finalised by officials at the very earliest opportunity.

Dental Services

Questions (366)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

366. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if the screening of teeth for the 2020-2021 sixth class students has commenced; if not, when this will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13543/22]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Staff

Questions (367)

Réada Cronin

Question:

367. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health if the respiratory department at Naas General Hospital has its full complement of staff including consultants, respiratory nurses, physiotherapists and physiologists; if this number is deemed sufficient for the population and state of lung health the department serves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13553/22]

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Written answers

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Hospital Waiting Lists

Questions (368)

Réada Cronin

Question:

368. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that are waiting for a respiratory consultation or assessment at Naas General Hospital in each of the past five years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13554/22]

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Written answers

It is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. While significant work continues to positively impact on waiting times and improve pathways to elective care, acute hospitals have been impacted by operational challenges arising from surges in cases related to the Delta and Omicron variants.

The HSE has confirmed to the Department that patient safety remains at the centre of all hospital activity and elective care scheduling. To ensure services are provided in a safe, clinically-aligned and prioritised way, hospitals are following HSE clinical guidelines and protocols.

The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to identify ways to improve access to care, including through increased use of private hospitals, funding weekend and evening work in public hospitals, funding “see and treat” services, providing virtual clinics, and increasing capacity in the public hospital system.

In relation to the data requested by the Deputy, the NTPF have informed my Department that for the time period requested there were no patients waiting from an outpatient respiratory appointment at Naas General Hospital. The NTPF also undertook to determine the number of patients awaiting an inpatient/day case procedure for respiratory assessment, and also found there to be no patients waiting for the time period in question.

Departmental Consultations

Questions (369)

Carol Nolan

Question:

369. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the number of external consultant's reports commissioned by his Department in each of the years 2019 to 2021 and to date in 2022; the cost of same; the company involved; the title and publication date of the report in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13564/22]

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Written answers

The information requested by the Deputy is not immediately available. I will survey the Department and the collated replies will be prepared into a full response to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Health Service Executive

Questions (370)

Pat Buckley

Question:

370. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Health if the HSE has sold the Owenacurra Health Centre, Midleton, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13588/22]

View answer

Written answers

As this is a service matter I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

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