Written Answers Nos. 290-314
290. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of housing applicants receiving homeless HAP through Fingal County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59428/22]
View answerThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a form of social housing support for people who have a long-term housing need. Under HAP, tenants source their own accommodation in the private rented market. However, additional supports are available under HAP for homeless households or households at risk of homelessness. While eligible households or individuals may source accommodation for themselves under the Homeless HAP scheme, additional supports are available in all local authorities.
To qualify for specific additional supports available to homeless households, a household must have been determined by the relevant local authority to be homeless within the meaning of section 2 of the Housing Act 1988.
A dedicated resource, the Place Finder Service, has been established nationwide to assist qualified households in finding suitable tenancies and facilitate access to appropriate additional supports. The operation of local homeless services, including the Place Finder Service, is a matter for each local authority.
The Dublin Region Homeless Executive operates Homeless HAP on behalf of the four Dublin local authorities. At the end of Q2 2022, 1,339 households in Fingal County Council were actively supported under the Homeless HAP Scheme.
291. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of housing applicants and tenants who have declared themselves homeless to Fingal County Council in 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59429/22]
View answerMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. While responsibility for the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities, the administration of homeless services is organised on a regional basis with nine regional lead authorities in place nationally. In the Dublin region, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive is provided by Dublin City Council as the lead statutory local authority in the response to homelessness in Dublin and adopts a shared service approach across Dublin City Council, South Dublin County Council, Fingal County Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
Quarterly Performance Reports, which provide information on homeless presentations, entries and preventions on a regional basis, are submitted to my Department by regional lead authorities. In addition to the Performance Reports, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive provides my Department with enhanced data on family homelessness in the Dublin Region on a monthly basis. The above mentioned reports provide the basis for a Quarterly Progress Report. These Quarterly Progress Reports, and Performance Reports from each region, are available on my Department’s website at the following link www.gov.ie/en/collection/80ea8-homelessness-data/.
No data is collected by my Department in respect of social housing applicants or social housing tenants presenting as homeless.
292. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure that successful applications under the croí cónaithe scheme are categorised by each local authority (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59469/22]
View answerPathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. Many areas of cities, towns and villages of all sizes face the blight of vacant properties, which, if brought back into use, could add real vibrancy and provide new accommodation in those areas. The Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund is a key initiative which underpins these policy objectives set out in Pathway Four of Housing for All.Schemes under the Fund, which are delivered by local authorities, provide new choices for people to live in towns and villages in Ireland, through the provision of a grant to support the refurbishment of vacant properties and by providing serviced sites in towns and villages to people in order to build their own homes.In July, I launched the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant as part of the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund. The grant benefits those who wish to turn a formerly vacant house or building into their principal private residence. The grant was initially launched in respect of vacant properties in towns and villages but I am pleased to say that as of the 15 November, the expanded grant also includes eligible vacant properties in both cities and rural areas (in addition to those in towns and villages, which have been eligible since July). Further information is available on the following link: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/969fb-vacant-property-refurbishment-grant-expanded-to-cities-and-remote-rural-areas/
In September, I launched the Ready to Build Scheme, also funded by the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund. Under the Ready to Build Scheme, local authorities will make serviced sites in towns and villages available to potential individual purchasers to build their homes. These sites will be available at a discount on the market value of the site for the building of a property for occupation as the principal private residence of the purchaser.In order to facilitate the collection of data on the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, an app, designed by my Department, has been provided to all local authorities. This will support the collation of data by each local authority to report on different aspects of the grant including:
- The number of applications received;
- The type of grant that was applied for - either the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant of up to €30,000 or if the property is deemed derelict then the Derelict Top-Up Grant of up to an additional €20,000 (a maximum of €50,000 in total);
- The status of the application - approved, rejected, being processed;
- If the property is on the Derelict Sites Register and;
- If the property is within an Architectural Conservational Area (ACA).
Data is and will continue to be gathered on the operation of the initiative. While interim reviews will be ongoing, a comprehensive review and evaluation of the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund will be undertaken no later than mid-2024.
293. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 326 of 11 October 2022, the conservation measures that apply from the NPWS list of conservation objectives for the Boyne, Kells Blackwater SAC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59494/22]
View answerA site-specific conservation objectives document was published for River Boyne and River Blackwater SAC (site code 002299) in December 2021. It is available at the following link: www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/protected-sites/conservation_objectives/CO002299.pdf.
This document contains a conservation objective for each of the habitats and species listed in the Habitats Directive for which the site is selected, namely river lamprey, salmon, otter, fens and wet woodland. Each of these conservation objectives aims to define favourable conservation condition for the habitat or species in question at this SAC.
This was done by setting a series of targets for attributes that collectively describe favourable conservation condition for each of the habitats and species. These in themselves are not conservation measures but can act as guidance for what measures might be required in the SAC, in order to achieve or maintain favourable conservation condition.
294. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 416 of 8 November 2022, if under Article 6 of the Habitats Directive, that there is a requirement to produce management or conservation plans for SACs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59495/22]
View answerSites designated under the Habitats Directive must be managed, conserved and protected in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 of the Directive.
Article 6.1 of the Directive requires Member States to establish the necessary conservation measure.
295. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will identify the most suitable scheme available to assist a person in a situation (details supplied) in purchasing a home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59508/22]
View answerThe Government’s Housing for All strategy introduced a new ‘Fresh Start’ principle targeting support at those who have experienced a relationship breakdown or an insolvency. Whilst these schemes are not aimed at supporting mortgage repayments on current homes, they do provide support to divorced persons in acquiring new homes.
Under the provisions of the Affordable Housing Act 2021, Section 10 details those conditions under which a previous homeowner may apply for certain housing schemes effectively being treated as a first-time buyer on the basis of divorce or separation, or bankruptcy or insolvency, This ‘Fresh Start’ principle generally supports those purchasing newly built homes, subject to certain conditions, providing the applicant has no remaining interest in the previous home.
The Fresh Start principle applies to the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme, the Local Authority Home Loan, the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund Scheme, and the First Home shared equity Scheme.
New build affordable homes made available under the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme are progressed by the Local Authorities themselves or in conjunction with the Land Development Agency, and will be advertised on the relevant Local Authority websites in advance of their sale.
Further information on the Local Authority Home Loan, which can also be used for second-hand homes, is available at: localauthorityhomeloan.ie/.
Further information on the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund Scheme is available at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/c2183-croi-conaithe-towns-fund/.
Further information on the First Home Scheme is available at: www.firsthomescheme.ie/.
296. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if planned reforms to planning laws will include measures to protect access to the countryside and to reform the law governing permissive routes and rights of way to protect public use of land for walkers. [59525/22]
View answerSections 206 and 207 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act) provide for the creation of rights of way by planning authorities where it appears that there is need for a public right of way over any land. The laws regarding public use of land for walkers does not fall under the Act and therefore does not fall under the scope of the Review of Planning Legislation currently being undertaken by the Attorney General's Office.
In addition, local authorities have the power to declare public roads under the Roads Act 1993, as amended, and once a public road is declared, a public right of way is created and it is the responsibility of the local authority to maintain the public road and the public right of way. This is a matter which falls under the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Transport.
The creation of public rights of way by local authorities is a reserved function of the elected members under Schedule 14A of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended, and is a matter for which I, as Minister with responsibility for Planning, have no statutory function.
The laws regarding access to property are a separate matter and it is understood from my colleague the Minister for Justice, that whilst the Occupiers Liability Act 1995, and the proposed amendments to this Act, deal with the duty of care shared by visitors, recreational users and trespassers with private property owners while visitors, recreational users and trespassers are on private property, this Act does not make provisions for ensuring public access to recreational lands that are held in private ownership or protecting public use of land for walkers.
Additionally, legislation regarding private rights of way is the also responsibility of the Minister for Justice through the Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2021. Private rights of way, also known as prescriptive rights of way, serve the property of a private owner, rather than belong to members of the public generally.
297. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is satisfied that sections 206-207 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 transfer sufficient powers to the planning authorities to preserve existing public rights of way; and if he is satisfied that the provisions have been used to a sufficient degree for the public good. [59527/22]
View answerThe provisions relating to the creation of a new public right of way by a local authority are set out in sections 206 and 207 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act).
Section 206 (creation of public right of way pursuant to agreement (PROW)) provides enabling power to a planning authority to enter into an agreement with any person having the necessary power in that behalf for the creation of a public right of way. Such agreement shall be on such terms as to payment or otherwise as may be specified in the agreement and may, if agreed, provide for limitations or conditions affecting the PROW. Particulars of any such agreement are required to be entered in the planning register of the concerned planning authority.
Section 207 (compulsory powers for creation of public right of way) provides that if it appears to a planning authority that there is need for a public right of way over any land, the planning authority may, by resolution, make an order creating a public right of way over the land. In such case, the planning authority is required to serve notice in this regard on the owner and occupier of the land and publish the notice in one or more newspapers circulating in its functional area. Members of the public can make submissions or observations on the proposal which shall be considered. The planning authority, having considered the proposal and any submissions or observations made in respect of it, may by resolution, as it considers appropriate, make the order, with or without modifications, or refuse to make the order and any person on whom notice has been served shall be notified accordingly.
Any person who has been notified of the making of an order under section 207 may appeal to An Bord Pleanala against the order within 4 weeks of being so notified. The Board may confirm the order with or without modifications or annul the order. Particulars of a public right of way created under the section 207 procedure are also required to be entered on the local planning register.
Also, section 10(2)(o) of the Act requires that a development plan shall include objectives for “the preservation of public rights of way which give access to seashore, mountain, lakeshore, riverbank or other place of natural beauty or recreational utility, which public rights of way shall be identified both by marking them on at least one of the maps forming part of the development plan and by indicating their location on a list appended to the development plan.”
The legislation requires each development plan to include an objective for the preservation of public rights of way that give access to places of natural beauty or utility and for such rights of way to be listed in an appendix and identified on development plan maps. The identification of a public right of way requires verification and the burden of proof rests with the local authority. Whilst there are varying examples from local authorities of the level of detail provided as part of fulfilling this objective, local authorities should endeavour to identify and list public rights of way as they come to the attention of the planning authority.
In addition to the requirement set out in Section 10(2)(o) of the Act, there are a number of mechanisms that the local authority can use to secure the development of improved access to the countryside and amenities besides this statutory process. The "permissive access mechanism" described in Circular Letter PL 5/2015 can complement the statutory development plan objective and can deliver an integrated approach to combining agreed ways and trails with public rights of way statutorily defined in the development plan. This approach has the potential to extend the amenity and recreational offer, and as such provides better access and improved connectivity throughout a local area or the wider county area. The overall combined approach, providing an inventory of permissive access routes in addition to rights of way, represents a best practice approach.
The making of, or refusing to make, an order creating a public right of way over any land is a reserved function of local authorities as provided by Schedule 14A of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended, and is not one in which I have any statutory function in my role as Minister with responsibility for Planning.
Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned.
298. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to update the National Monuments Act 1930; his views on the need to create an enforcement mechanism to require the maintenance of national monuments and surrounding areas which are in private ownership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59528/22]
View answer299. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a process has been established for the development of the "new framework for joint co-operative policy making and implementation" between his Department and the Department of Health in order to complete the outstanding actions from the joint policy statement on Housing Options for our Ageing Population; the timeline for completion of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59557/22]
View answerHousing for All (published in September 2021) provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations, with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The strategy sets out, over four pathways, a broad suite of measures to achieve its policy objectives together with a financial commitment of in excess of €4 billion per annum.
Under Housing for All, there is a policy objective to increase and improve housing options for older people to facilitate ageing in place with dignity and independence. Housing for All builds on and takes forward the ongoing actions in "Housing Options for Our Ageing Population" policy statement from 2019, published jointly by my Department and the Department of Health, which provides policy options in support of a range of housing and accommodation alternatives for older people. The actions include the development of a catalogue of housing options that provide a range of choices that meet the diverse need of an ageing population, spanning owner occupier, private rental and social housing, whilst providing accessible care and the associated support needs. My Department, together with the local authorities and the Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), is successfully guiding and delivering age-friendly housing within this framework.
The policy statement, together with the third and final Implementation Group report, are available on the Government's website at:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/83781d-housing-options-for-our-ageing-population-policy-statement/.
My Department continues to collaborate with the Department of Health on the implementation of relevant ongoing actions, together with engagement on advancing the most appropriate framework, under the strategic framework of Housing for All, to ensure the effective integration of health and housing policies at national and local level.
300. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the names of all companies supplying private security and cleaning services in his Department, including the cost of private cleaning in his Department, the cost of private security in his Department; the number of private cleaners supplied to his Department to provide these duties as part of these contracts, and the number of private security personnel supplied to his Department on foot of these contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59735/22]
View answerThe information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
|
Companies providing cleaning services to Department from 2020 to date |
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Advance Cleaners |
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AllPro Services |
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Alpha CC |
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Bidvest Noonan |
|
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Brennan Cleaning Services |
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Choc Latte Cleaning Services |
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Evans Cleaning |
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Galway Mat supply |
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Grosvenor Cleaning |
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ISS Ireland Ltd. |
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Jewel Hygiene Ltd. |
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Loreto Cleaning Ltd. |
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McKechnie Cleaning Services |
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Malcolm Todd Cleaning |
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Momentum Support |
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Mount Charles Group |
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OCS One Complete Solution |
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Precise Window Cleaning |
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|
Number of cleaning staff |
80 |
|
Cost of cleaning DHLGH Locations for period of 01/02/2020 to present |
€2,125,462 |
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Companies providing security services to Department from 2020 to date |
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ADT Fire & Security |
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Alertline |
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Coleman Electronics |
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Fresco |
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Mac Alarms Ltd |
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Phonewatch Ltd |
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Power Right |
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Secure All Security |
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Securitas |
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Shepherd Security Ltd |
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Superior Group |
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Synergy Security |
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Top Security |
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Number of security staff |
19 |
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Cost of security for DHLGH Locations for period of 01/02/2020 |
€446,577 |
301. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a schedule of the employment status in the civil service of each civilian driver who has been replaced by an official Garda driver in his Ministerial driver corps; if VER payments have issued; and if any cases have been presented to the WRC to date on foot of the changes. [59771/22]
View answerNo civilian drivers in my Department have been replaced by official Garda drivers at this time.
302. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of documents that his Department has authenticated, apostilled and legalised in each of the years 2017 to 2021 and to date in 2022; the amount that has been received in fees by his Department for these services in those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58691/22]
View answerThe Department of Foreign Affairs is the competent authority to confirm that a signature, seal or stamp is from an Irish public official/body, and does this by issuing a physical apostille or authentication stamp on documents. Full details of this service can be found at www.dfa.ie/travel/our-services/authenticating-documents/.
The following table details the number of documents apostilled and authenticated by my Department and the fees received from 2017 to 2021, and to date in 2022.
|
Year |
No. of Apostille and Authentication Stamps |
Revenue |
|
2017 |
59,915 |
€1,932,695 |
|
2018 |
60,537 |
€2,002,270 |
|
2019 |
60,259 |
€2,005,570 |
|
2020 |
44,532 |
€1,467,601 |
|
2021 |
54,795 |
€1,873,217 |
|
2022 (to date) |
46,779 |
€1,613,186 |
303. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied), who was employed in his Department for over 30 years and who feels that their pension entitlements have not been accurately calculated; if all relevant increments in this case have been applied correctly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58726/22]
View answerMy Department, having consulted with the NSSO who administer pension benefits on behalf of the Department, have confirmed that the matter was investigated and that the pension of the person concerned was found to be calculated correctly, including all subsequent pension increases. I understand that this information has been shared with the person concerned.
304. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will clarify a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58812/22]
View answerAll passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act 2008, as amended. The Act provides, among other things, that a person must be an Irish citizen before a passport can be issued to that person. In order to meet this requirement, each passport applicant must demonstrate an entitlement to Irish citizenship by providing acceptable documentary evidence of this entitlement when making a first time passport application.
The citizenship of a person born on the island of Ireland on or after 1 January 2005 is determined by the citizenship or residency status of their parents at the time of the person’s birth. If both parents are non-Irish citizens at the time of the child's birth and if neither of the parents are a British citizen, the citizenship of a child born in Ireland on or after 1 January 2005 is determined by the residency status of their parents at the time of the child’s birth. A child born on or after 1 January 2005 may claim citizenship by birth where a parent has been lawfully resident in the State for three years of the four years preceding his/her birth (a total of 1,095 days).
Where citizenship cannot be established on the basis of one of the parents' residency status, citizenship may be established through naturalisation if the child has accumulated 5 years' reckonable residence. Further details on naturalisation can be found here www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/become-an-irish-citizen-by-naturalisation/
Once a naturalisation certificate has been obtained, a passport application can then be made.
Information on what is required for all first time passport applications, including details on documentary requirements, guardianship and consent, are available on my Department’s website (www.dfa.ie/passports/documentary-requirements/).
With regard to the specific circumstances to which the Deputy has referred, the Passport Service has contacted the parent directly to advise on what is required in order to apply for a passport.
305. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on a foreign birth register application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58815/22]
View answerMy Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish Citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship.
The application to which the Deputy has referred is for the replacement of an FBR certificate. This certificate has been submitted to the Passport Service as part of another FBR application. For integrity purposes, it is not possible to issue a replacement certificate when a copy is already at hand. The Passport Service has recently processed the FBR application which included the required certificate, and the certificate will be returned in the near future. A member of the FBR team will make contact with the applicant shortly in order to arrange a refund for his application for a replacement certificate.
306. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent of the consular assistance that he and his officials have provided to the family of a person (details supplied); the representations or assurances that his consular officials have made or sought with their Indian counterparts, following the decision of the Indian courts to release the person accused of the person's murder on bail, to attend their father's funeral; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58854/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, my Department, through the Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi, Consulate General in Mumbai and Consular Assistance Unit in Dublin, has been providing assistance to the citizen’s family - notwithstanding the Indian authorities’ position that this is a UK consular case.
It is a general principle not to detail the specifics of ongoing consular work. However, I remain firmly committed to the case and I can assure you that officials in my Department continue to engage with relevant authorities.
Cooperation between this Department and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is continuing both at headquarters and in India. In June of this year, Irish and British diplomats travelled to Goa to meet with officials on the matter.
Ensuring a quick conclusion to the court case remains a significant priority for the Irish and British Governments as well as, of course, for the citizen’s family.
307. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of full-time staff by grade working in the Passport Office as of 1 January 2022 and 22 November 2022, in tabular form. [59016/22]
View answer312. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current number of staff in the Passport Service; the comparison figure in each of the past ten years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59305/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 307 and 312 together.
Adequate staffing of the Passport Service to respond to demand has been a priority for my Department throughout 2022 and is an issue that is kept under constant review.
My Department ran 15 competitions in 2021/22 to address staffing needs in the Passport Service. The additional staffing numbers are having a very positive impact on the service being provided to citizens.
Recruitment will continue in the coming months to ensure that the Passport Service maintains the level of staffing required to ensure excellent customer service into 2023.
New office space in Balbriggan is now open, bringing the capacity of the Balbriggan campus up to over 500 and accommodating the increase in staff numbers.
The number of Passport Service staff as of 1 January 2022 and 22 November 2022 are outlined below by their official grade, in tabular form. A number of these staff worked in an acting-up capacity throughout 2022 at higher grades and this is not reflected in the numbers below.
|
Grade |
Number of staff as of 1 January 2022 |
Number of staff as of 22 November 2022 |
|
Principal Officer & equivalent |
2 |
2 |
|
Assistant Principal & equivalent |
11 |
11 |
|
Higher Executive Officer & equivalent |
23 |
31 |
|
Executive Officer |
80 |
77 |
|
Clerical Officer |
351 |
347 |
|
Temporary Clerical Officer |
148 |
283 |
|
Total |
615 |
751 |
The number of Passport Service staff as of 22 November for the years 2012-2022 are outlined below in tabular form.
|
Year |
Number of staff as of 22 November |
|
2012 |
327 |
|
2013 |
327 |
|
2014 |
298 |
|
2015 |
301 |
|
2016 |
403 |
|
2017 |
347 |
|
2018 |
397 |
|
2019 |
596 |
|
2020 |
466 |
|
2021 |
540 |
|
2022 |
751 |
308. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason that his Department’s website was not updated until 7 October 2022 with information relating to the fact that travellers have been denied entry to the USA under the ESTA visa waiver if they have visited Cuba since January 2021. [59034/22]
View answerUS immigration regulation and operations are a matter solely for the relevant US authorities. The Department of Foreign Affairs updated its travel advice for Cuba upon receiving confirmation that the United States is now enforcing certain travel restrictions following the designation of Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism by the US Department of State. The result of this decision is that those who have visited Cuba since January 2021 are no longer eligible to participate in the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) and must apply for a visa to enter the United States through a US Embassy or Consulate (ineligibility for an ESTA based on someone's previous travel does not automatically make them ineligible for a visa). Only the Governments of Cuba and the United States of America, through their respective Embassies in Dublin, can advise with authority on entry requirements for Irish citizens travelling to Cuba or the United States. It is the responsibility of the individual traveller to ensure adherence to any entry requirements applied by the receiving country. It is also the responsibility of the traveller to take into consideration the risks associated with travelling to any specific country.
309. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has spoken with the South African ambassador to Ireland in the past six months. [59074/22]
View answerIreland and South Africa have a strong relationship, built on cultural, business and people-to-people links. South Africa is home to the largest Irish community in Africa, with an estimated 35,000 Irish passport-holders, and is Ireland’s largest trading partner in Africa. South Africa is a like-minded country on many important foreign policy issues, and is a valued partner.
I travelled to South Africa in February 2022 to co-chair the most recent meeting of the South Africa-Ireland Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) with my South African counterpart, Minister Alvin Botes. The JCC is the structured mechanism for bilateral cooperation between South Africa and Ireland.
The Department of Foreign Affairs, at political level and official level, engages regularly with the Ambassador of South Africa, including at events such as the Africa Ireland Economic Forum in June 2022 and the National Day of Commemoration in July 2022, and through regular meetings at senior official level.
The Ambassador of Ireland to South Africa also maintains regular engagement with the authorities in South Africa, including at Ministerial level. In September, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, officially launched an exhibition developed by the Embassy of Ireland in Pretoria on Irish solidarity with the Anti-Apartheid Movement.
We look forward to continued positive engagement with the government of South Africa through the Embassy of South Africa in Ireland, and through Ireland’s Embassy in Pretoria.
310. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of access officers responsible for providing or arranging for and co-ordinating assistance and guidance to people with disabilities accessing his Departments’ services who are employed in his Department as required by section 26 (2) of the Disability Act 2005; the way that his Department makes its customers aware of this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59292/22]
View answerIn accordance with section 26 of the Disability Act 2005, my Department has an appointed Access Officer who is responsible for ensuring that help and advice are given to people with disabilities who wish to access our services.
My Department makes its customers aware of this service by publishing information about the Access Officer on the Department's website.
The Access Officer can be contacted through a form on the website, here: www.dfa.ie/about-us/contact-us/contact-access-officer/
Alternatively, the Access Officer can be contacted by post at the following address:
Access Officer
Human Resources HQ
Department of Foreign Affairs
76-78 Harcourt Street
Dublin 2
D02 DX45
311. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the length of time that it is currently taking for postal applications for passports to be processed; if the timeframe has increased or decreased in the past twelve months; if there are plans to reduce the processing time for these applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59304/22]
View answer313. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of staff within the Passport Service who are assigned to specifically process postal applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59307/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 311 and 313 together.
The current processing time for paper-based passport applications submitted through An Post is 8 weeks. The processing time for these applications has decreased in recent months, as demand for passports has fallen in line with Passport Service forecasting. Out of the total number of paper applications processed by the Passport Service since 1 September 2022, 99.8% have been processed within 8 weeks of registration.
The Passport Service is pursuing a Digital First strategy and promoting Passport Online as the quickest, most convenient and least expensive channel for applicants. Passport Online has been a huge success and has allowed for the centralisation of passport processing resulting in greater efficiencies for the Passport Service and for customers.
Passport Online is available to 97% of applicants around the world regardless of whether they are first time applicants or are renewing their passport. Over 90% of applicants from around the world now apply for their passport using this channel. This has significantly reduced the number of applicants who need to visit the Post Office or the Passport Offices in Dublin or Cork to apply for their passport.
Whilst there are no current plans to reduce the processing time for paper-based applications, the Passport Service is committed to maintaining the published processing time.
There are currently 46 staff involved in the processing of paper-based postal applications in the Passport Service.
314. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a foreign birth registration application which was submitted on the 2 September 2021 by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59419/22]
View answerMy Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish Citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship.
Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. In 2015, prior to Brexit, a total of 6,000 entries were made to the register. In 2019, a peak number of 19,000 entries were made to the Foreign Births Register.
The service was also impacted by necessary Covid-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021 and the unprecedented demand for passports seen to date in 2022.
My Department has put in place a number of measures to address the volume of FBR applications currently on hand with a view to significantly reducing the processing time for these applications by the end of this year. These measures, which include increased staffing directed towards the processing of FBR applications, are already having a positive impact on the number of applications being processed each month. The number of FBR applications processed per month has doubled in both September and October, with over 1,000 processed in August, over 2,000 processed in September and almost 5,000 processed in October.
Supporting documents for the application to which the Deputy has referred were received on 15 September 2022 and are being stored in a secure environment until the application is checked for entitlement.
