Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2020

Tuesday, 7 July 2020

Ceisteanna (33)

Steven Matthews

Ceist:

33. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to situations in which business owners that do not hold EEA citizen status that had their visas automatically renewed by the INIS due to Covid-19 restrictions, are being told by the Companies Registration Office that they are unable to register their business name until they can prove that they are allowed trade in Ireland, in view of the fact this is impossible at this time due to the closure and significant backlog in the INIS offices. [14165/20]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation

Under the Registration of Business Names Act, 1963, an application for registration must be submitted to the CRO within one month of the date of adoption of the business name. The CRO requires that applicants who are not EEA or Swiss nationals must provide a copy of their current Irish Residency Permit.

In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the immigration service of the Department of Justice and Equality announced that all Irish Residency Permits due to expire between 20/03/2020 and 20/05/2020 were automatically renewed for a period of two months. This arrangement was extended for permits due to expire between 20/05/2020 and 20/07/2020.

I understand that the Registrar of Companies has reviewed the current administrative arrangements in place when dealing with applicants who are not EEA / Swiss nationals and will now accept expired Irish Residency Permits which fall into the automatic renewal criteria announced by the immigration service. Any applicants who have been unsuccessful on the basis of a residency permit that has expired since 20/03/2020 can now resubmit their applications to the CRO and they will be processed in accordance with the Registrar’s decision.