Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2024
498. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Justice the average length of time a naturalisation application remains queued for processing, before reaching staff for assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10671/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand the extended wait times can be frustrating for naturalisation applicants and my Department has been working hard to clear backlogs. The specific information as requested by the Deputy is not collated in the manner described. The current median processing time is 19 months.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
My Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications and a number of digitisation measures have been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eVetting and online payments.
My Department has recently moved from paper to online based citizenship applications. This is one of a number of measures introduced in an effort to optimise the application process and enhance the overall customer service experience. As part of the new online process, customers are issued with an acknowledgment on submission of the online application. The forms provide a seamless application process and help guide applicants through what is required for an application.
In a little over two years the Citizenship Division of my Department has gone from processing around 12,000 applications a year to processing over 20,000 applications. This 66% increase in processing has been achieved through digitising and streamlining processes.
Finally, I can advise the Deputy that the Citizenship Division of my Department continues to communicate regularly with all applicants to keep them informed as to updates on processing times and arrangements.
