Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 September 2020
234. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice if she will address concerns raised that persons trying to obtain an appointment with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service online appointment booking system which is saying that there are no appointments currently available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22715/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Burgh Quay Registration Office for the Dublin area reopened on 20 July 2020.
To protect the safety of staff and applicants and comply with social distancing and public health guidelines, it has been necessary to reduce capacity. The Public Office is now accepting applications for first time registrations on an appointment only basis. Priority for appointment allocation was given initially to those who had their application for first time registration cancelled when the Office closed in March. Over 4,500 appointments for first time registrations were cancelled at that time.
A new online system for the renewal of Registrations in the Dublin area was developed and launched as part of my Department’s COVID-19 response and to enable applicants safely engage with the Registration Office.
All registration renewals in the Dublin area are now being processed online and the system is available for all applicants at https://inisonline.jahs.ie. All applicants have to do is complete a form online, upload the supporting documents, pay the fee and then submit their passport and current IRP card via registered post. Since the launch of this system on 20 July 2020, my Department has received over 22,000 applications from people who would otherwise have had to attend in Burgh Quay in person.
First time registrations require the taking of biometric information (fingerprints) so it is not possible to do these registrations online. The online appointment system for new applicants went live again on 28 August 2020, with almost 2,000 appointments offered to date. Further appointments are being continually added. All cancelled appointments were rescheduled and an additional 1,000 appointments issued through July and August. It is planned to significantly increase capacity over the coming months.
My Department is aware that there have been issues in the past around the securing of registration appointments and a set of software fixes were introduced in late 2018, designed to prevent such abuses of the system. The new measures have been successful to date in preventing the block booking of appointments by third party agents. However, there are some third party agents providing appointment booking services in return for payment on the basis that the person provides them with their personal details in advance. The Immigration Service Delivery function of my Department have strongly advised against this practice of providing sensitive and personal data to unregulated and unknown third parties.
