Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

INIS is taking steps to ensure that. It is an actual case that I reference. These are people just like all of us here and it is having a most deleterious impact on their lives. In my view, it is without justification. All of the assessment, analysis and examination has been done previously. This is a renewal yet nine months later it cannot be approved, at least at this point. It beggars belief.

Mr. Kirrane brought up the issue of staffing. I note, from Mr. Kirrane's opening statement, he gives an outline of the staffing numbers. He stated that there are 55 contracted members of the IPO case processing panel all of whom work on a part-time basis. Why would that be the case? Is that part of the difficulty? I presume these contracted members are not part of INIS's full-time core staff. What steps is Mr. Kirrane taking to address this? I beg Mr. Kirrane's pardon; he stated, in that regard, that further staff will be appointed in the coming period. As for the 55 contracted members of the IPO case processing panel, why is INIS outsourcing instead of recruiting directly when it has a particular problem? Even as an interim measure, should these particular employees be taken on board on more than a part-time basis?