Thursday, 6 Oct 2022

Written Answers Nos. 333-345

Residency Permits

Questions (333)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

333. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice if Irish residence permits renewals can be extended beyond one year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49408/22]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

Immigration permissions are normally renewed on an annual basis. However, there are a range of permissions that are renewed for 2, 3 or 5 years at a time.

Further information is available on my Department's immigration website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/my-situation-has-changed-since-i-arrived-in-ireland/long-term-residency/

The operation of permissions, including their length, is kept under review by my Department and the Deputy’s query will be considered in that context.

Naturalisation Applications

Questions (334)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

334. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the progress that has been made to date on the expectation arising in the case of a person (details supplied); when it is expected that this case will be concluded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49433/22]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

The naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in March 2022 and continues to be processed by my Department, with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation. It will be submitted to me for decision in due course.

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.

Applications are processed in chronological order by date received. Due to the high volume of applications currently on hand, regrettably, processing times can be up to 19 months.

However, 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.

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.

it is open to any person to apply for a change of status to the conditions attaching to their immigration permission details are available on my Departments Immigration Services website at www.irishimmigration.ie/registering-your-immigration-permission/changing-your-immigration-permission/

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: [e-mail], 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.

Naturalisation Applications

Questions (335)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

335. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the current or expected position in relation to the determination of an upgrade of stamp three in the case of a person (details supplied) who has lived in Ireland for ten years and who is anxious to upgrade their residency status to facilitate nationalisation and whose current status impedes their access to education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49434/22]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

My Department's records confirm that the person referred to by the Deputy has been granted a permission that is considered as reckonable for the purpose of making an application for citizenship.

The Immigration permission granted also provides that the holder can work without an employment permit and set up a trade or business in the State for a specified period, subject to condition and may access state funds and services as determined by the relevant Government Department or State Agency.

An application for naturalisation was received from the person concerned on 8 April 2021. This application continues to be processed, with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation.

The Citizenship division recently wrote to the person referred requesting further documentation and this should be provided by the person concerned as soon as possible, if they haven't already provided it.

Visa Applications

Questions (336)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

336. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice when the appropriate visa will be issued in the case an application for two applicants (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49435/22]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I can advise the Deputy that the applications referred to were created on the 6 September 2022. The applications and supporting documentation were received in the New Delhi visa office on 23 September 2022 and the 26 September 2022 where they currently await examination and processing.

It is not possible to give a definitive date as to when these applications will be finalised. All applications are processed in chronological order, based on date order of receipt. While every effort is made to process applications as soon as possible, processing times will vary having regard to the volume and complexity of applications, the possible need for the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) function of the Department to investigate, inquire into, or seek further information, and the resources available.

Applicants are advised not to pay for airline or other travel tickets without having first been issued with a visa. The applicants will be notified as soon as a decision has been reached by a Visa Officer.

Processing times and decisions at the Overseas Visa Offices can be checked at the following link:

www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions/#decisions

It should also be noted that the granting of a work permit by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) has no bearing on whether a visa will be subsequently granted. There are two very distinct application processes with different checks and procedures in place in each respective Department.

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 ([e-mail]) 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 Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.

Citizenship Applications

Questions (337)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

337. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice if she will use her discretionary powers to grant citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49436/22]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

I can confirm that there is no current application for citizenship for the person details supplied by the Deputy.

A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to naturalisation can only be made after an application is received.

The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is governed by the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are processed and assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

Section 15 of the Act sets out the statutory conditions that must be fulfilled for a certificate of naturalisation to be granted.

It is open to any individual to lodge an application for citizenship if and when they are in a position to meet the statutory conditions as prescribed in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended.

Detailed information on the citizenship application process including relevant forms and an eligibility guide are available on my Department's Immigration Services website at www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/ and www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Irish-Citizenship-Eligibility-Guide.pdf

An Garda Síochána

Questions (338)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

338. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if she and or her officials have been consulted by or have engaged with Garda management in respect of roster changes in 2022; if she and or her officials have been consulted by and or have engaged with Garda officers’ representative bodies in respect of changes to the roster pattern for gardaí; and if a new roster rotation will impact on the pay of gardaí in the context of hours worked. [49407/22]

Written answers

Minister for Justice

As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes the deployment and rostering of staff. As Minister, I have no role in the management of these functions, nor have I had any engagement with the Garda Associations in respect of the matters referred to by the Deputy. My officials have been briefed by Garda management on the new roster proposals and the impacts on the delivery of policing services to the public.

The Deputy may also be aware that the current Garda roster was introduced by the Commissioner to deal with the specific policing requirements that arose during the Covid pandemic. It was always intended by the Commissioner to be a temporary roster, to be replaced in due course by a revised roster.

The Commission on the Future of Policing concluded that existing Garda rostering arrangements should be replaced by tailored rosters that work better for both police and the communities they serve.

I am informed by the Commissioner that a facilitated process (under an independent chair) has been ongoing for some time between Garda management and the Garda Associations to develop a revised roster for Garda members.

On 15 August, the facilitator published his recommendations as providing a basis to move forward on roster reform. All parties were given 8 weeks to consider the proposals.

Further engagement with the Associations in relation to these proposals is a matter for the Garda Commissioner.

Budget 2023

Questions (339)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

339. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if the mental health 2023 funding allocated to trainee counselling psychologists will also be extended to trainee educational and child psychologists (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49122/22]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The total allocation for mental health services in 2023 is over €1.2 billion, which is another record budget for mental health services. This significant investment will enable implementation of many of the short and medium-term measures in our national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision, enhancing the provision of mental health supports across a broad continuum from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention, to acute and specialist mental health service delivery, and enabling us to continue to deliver our vital services to as many people as possible, as we move into 2023.

€ 750,000 has been provided in Budget 2023 to support counselling psychology training places. This funding demonstrates the Government’s commitment to strengthen access to psychology training for those interested in working within the Mental Health sector. Further detailed discussions will now take place between the Department and HSE to progress both this and wider commitments of the 2023 Budget in the context of preparing the HSE Service Plan 2023.

In addition, the Department of Health has been advised by the Department of Education that the Minister for Education and her Department very much value the work of all educational psychologists across the education system. I understand they are working proactively and intensively to find a positive resolution for the issue of fees for trainee educational psychologists.

Public Sector Pay

Questions (340)

Paul Murphy

Question:

340. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health the way that a criterion (details supplied) was developed; and the person or body that was involved in the development of same. [49223/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the important role that Section 39 organisations and staff play in our health sector. They have a key role in providing services to people with disabilities and older people.

Under Section 39 of the Health Act 2004, the HSE provides assistance to organisations that provide services similar or ancillary to a service that the HSE may provide. However, Section 39 organisations are privately owned and run, and the terms and conditions of employment of staff in these organisations, once in line with employment legislation, are strictly between the employer and the employee.

In relation to pay restoration, the HSE conducted a data gathering exercise in relation to an agreed list of 50 Section 39 pilot organisations. The results of this analysis formed the basis of an engagement, facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission. An agreement was reached by all parties in October 2018, in relation to a process of pay restoration for staff employed by these 50 pilot agencies. A further WRC engagement followed in December 2020 in relation to a final phase of 250 organisations who were identified as part of the earlier agreement.

Pay restoration was applicable to Section 39 organisations who met certain criteria, rather than types of individual workers that are employed in them. Eligible Section 39 organisations included only agencies that had service arrangements in place back in 2013 and that were still under service arrangements in 2019. Only organisations who received in excess of an agreed, specified amount from the HSE by way of the Service Level Agreement process were included.

Pay restoration is absolutely limited and only applicable to those included in the initial WRC agreement of 2018. I can also confirm that there is no scope to revisit the eligibility criteria for the process and that the process has reached a final resolution.

Departmental Contracts

Questions (341, 354)

Paul Murphy

Question:

341. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm the contracts that his Department has with top security. [49262/22]

Mick Barry

Question:

354. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health if his Department has any contracts with a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49168/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health (Deputy Stephen Donnelly)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 341 and 354 together. My Department currently has no contracts with the company detailed.

Departmental Data

Questions (342)

Verona Murphy

Question:

342. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of children on the waiting list for child psychologist services in CAMHS in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49118/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Departmental Data

Questions (343)

Verona Murphy

Question:

343. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health the number of children currently awaiting an assessment with the children's disability network teams in County Wexford; the breakdown of the number of children waiting 24, 36 and 48 months and longer, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49119/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Health Services Staff

Questions (344)

Verona Murphy

Question:

344. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health when a whole-time orthodontic specialist will be in place of the current 0.6 whole-time equivalent be appointed to orthodontic services in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49120/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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

Health Services Staff

Questions (345)

Verona Murphy

Question:

345. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Health the status of the current vacant full-time orthodontic consultant post in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49121/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

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