Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020
348. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for the long delay in a review by the INIS of the EU treaty rights of a person (details supplied) who has applied for citizenship. [8544/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can inform the Deputy that the EU Treaty Rights Review Unit of the Immigration Service of my Department received an application from the person referred to by the Deputy on 5 December 2017. This request was for a review of the decision made on 16 November 2017 to refuse their application to retain a residence card on an individual and personal basis under EU Treaty Rights.
This original retention application was refused because it transpired that the EU citizen in question in this case had departed the State in 2009, and therefore the applicant did not comply with the provisions of the Regulations.
I am advised that an application for a certificate of naturalisation relating to the person referred to was received on 25 November 2014. This application has been suspended pending further assessment and will proceed upon finalisation of their EU Treaty Rights review application.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Immigration Service is unfortunately experiencing delays in processing at the moment, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications are dealt with in strict chronological order, and a decision will issue to the person concerned in due course. Although it is not possible at the present time to provide a definitive date by which a determination will be made in this case, there will be no avoidable delay in completing same. My Department will be in touch with the applicant should any further information or documentation be required.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by email using the Oireachtas Mail facility 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 email service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
