Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

Eventually, a dossier is compiled which would intimidate the most fluent English speakers. It is put there, however, for African, Polish and Estonian applicants. If one really wants an English fluency test, this is the form.

While I anticipate some criticism from some local authorities on the matter, they should cop on to themselves and not make a situation worse.

Deputy O'Flynn claimed some officers are occasionally abrupt. I am not referring to any particular officer in a particular location but there have been the odd ones. There has been the odd situation whereby an officer dealing with immigrants of all nationalities has been less than sympathetic. It could be argued they are of that disposition when dealing with local people. For several officials I know about, if I were them, I would not pursue it too far. They are just about on the borderline and escape from a serious charge being made against them. I will not say any more than that. People in those positions need to recognise their actions and responses can be seen as a reflection not on them but on the country, a much more serious matter. A little Christian charity does not go too far wrong in these circumstances.

This subject, as we know, is a broad one and we could go on forever, although unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, we are restricted to 20 minutes nowadays. I emphasise the things that need to be dealt with as quickly as possible. The processing of applications for naturalisation needs to be speeded up. It is appalling how many times we must write to the relevant section of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform or to the Minister asking about the status of applications. This takes up the Minister's time. We are told the process sometimes takes 22 months; it takes five years. I have been dealing with one case for the past eight years and it is only now coming to fruition. The people concerned, the applicants, want their status clarified. They have employment and they want to continue working. They want to make an economic contribution to this society and they make no bones about it. Thus, I ask in the context of this legislation that this process be speeded up.

I note that there has been a huge drop in the number granted refugee status. I would like to think this is due to reduced interest and smaller numbers of applications, but I am not so sure about that. It behoves everybody to deal with these applications as quickly as possible. There may be difficult circumstances in the homeland of an individual that may not come to light in the first instance, but it does not take three, four or five years to go through the details. It should be possible to go through them in a shorter space of time. It costs nothing to be courteous to people. Even if one cannot help someone, it must surely be possible to explain the situation in a courteous manner.

I will finish off with the habitual residency clause, which has been frequently mentioned recently in connection with qualification for social welfare benefits. Unfortunately, through rigid application of this rule the State encourages and forces people into lawlessness. Women are forced into prostitution because they have nowhere else to go and nothing else to do. Why leave people with no option? Why not deal with the situation by trying to ensure that people, at least while they are here, do not have to beg on the streets? Why not deal with it from that point of view? If a case is found to have no legitimacy and does not stand up to examination, it should by all means be treated under the general rule, but otherwise I ask, in Heaven's name, that the Department deal with these people in a sympathetic fashion.

I will not go through the issues such as housing loans which I had intended to mention. We in the House could speak on this subject until tomorrow without the slightest difficulty. I hope and pray that the Bill, if it does nothing else, will focus on fair play, efficiency and cutting out the red tape that has crept into the area in recent years.

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