Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

I will arrange for the details to be forwarded to the Deputy. There has been an enormous increase in the number of appeals. The number of them has multiplied several times in each of the recent years. There was a 46% increase in the number of appeals in 2009 compared with 2008, and that was 27% greater than the number in 2007. There was a further increase of 26% in the number of appeals received in 2010. There has been an enormous increase in the number of appeals. I will forward the Deputy the statistical information.

On the question of cutting back the time involved in the processing of an appeal, we are not yet at the stage where we can give an indicative time for this. We have to reduce the backlog and improve the system. People will be familiar with the idea that in the case of passport applications and citizenship applications, it has become a standard that an applicant must complete the application properly and that greatly increases the opportunity to deal with the application at first instance. If applications can be dealt with on a summary, first instance basis, then the matters which go to appeal can be dealt with much more rapidly. Because there is more than a 50% success rate on appeals, that is a strong indication that many of the appeals are not fully presented with the fullest amount of information that would enhance the making of a decision by the person who decides initially and, subsequently, on appeal.

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