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Citizenship Applications

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2022

Tuesday, 12 July 2022

Questions (743, 757)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

743. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice the average processing time for citizenship applications in Ireland at present; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37595/22]

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Chris Andrews

Question:

757. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Justice the steps that are being taken to reduce the processing time for an Irish citizenship application from the current 23-month timeframe to the 6 to 9 months which his Department previously stated was its objective. [38054/22]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 743 and 757 together.

I am deeply conscious of how important the granting of naturalisation is to those who apply for it and my Department continued to accept and process citizenship applications throughout the pandemic and during all levels of public health restrictions. The division currently receives almost 1200 applications per month.

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.

In addition, the combined impact of the 2019 High Court judgment in the Jones case and the necessary health restrictions arising from the pandemic, has unfortunately resulted in the processing time for standard applications increasing. The processing time for applications in 2021 was 24 months. It currently stands at 19 months for decisions issued in 2022, an almost 21% decrease.

Last year, my Department made 11,512 citizenship decisions, which is the highest level since 2015. For the first six months of 2022, 8149 citizenship decisions have been made with 7,193 certificates of naturalisation issued. This includes 1,005 minor applications who have also been issued with a decision on their application, in comparison to 868 in total for minors during 2021.

The citizenship application process is reviewed on an ongoing basis to continually improve customer service quality. Feedback from applicants is taken on board and, as a result, a much more simplified, customer-focused and streamlined mechanism for applicants to provide their proofs of residence has recently been introduced. A scorecard was introduced to help applicants to complete their applications with greater certainty than before. A review of this is currently being undertaken and an updated version is due to be published in the coming weeks.

To further speed up the processing of applications, 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.

Since the beginning of this year, new applicants for citizenship no longer have to submit their original passport with their application. Instead, they can provide a full colour copy of their entire passport, including the front and back covers. This change in practice is welcomed by our customers and is also freeing up valuable staff time that up to now has been engaged in returning passports to applicants.

My Department hosted the first in-person citizenship ceremony since the pandemic on 20 June 2022 with 950 people receiving their certificate of naturalisation. Further ceremonies are planned for December, in Killarney.

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