Foreign Birth Registration

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 November 2022

Tuesday, 8 November 2022

Ceisteanna (427, 428)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

427. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on a foreign birth passport (details supplied). [54168/22]

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

428. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on an application for citizenship by a person (details supplied). [54169/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Foreign Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 427 and 428 together.

My 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 that will address the volume of FBR applications currently on hand with a view to significantly reducing the processing time for these citizenship applications by the end of this year.

This specific application is currently being processed.

Question No. 428 answered with Question No. 427.