Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I believe I gave the figure of 23,000 earlier. The overall scale and the numbers of families and children involved are significant. The number of children of Irish nationality is 967,767 and there are more then half a million claims. From the EU 27 the claims come to 48,000 and non-EU applications comprise 28,000. That is over half a million claims involving 1,113,209 children. Taking the scale of what Ireland and the Department is doing in trying to ensure that we treat all children fairly and equally and support families in need in this regard, that is a fair return. I accept, however, that we must maintain a high level of activity in this area, and indeed increase it. That is why I have indicated in my replies to Deputies Shortall and Enright that there will be specific focus and emphasis on this area this year, with more than 100,000 individual cases being reviewed.

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