James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Obviously, there are a lot of moving parts in any process when dealing with a backlog, such as how many applications will be made in a particular year and, of course, as the Deputy mentioned, staffing as well, but it is being given priority. We are moving to a digitisation of e-vetting, replacing a largely paper-based process with a simple email link. This is speeding up the process significantly. Some who have started the e-vetting have probably been processed a bit more quickly than those who were in the system already. However, those who are in the backlog are being processed as quickly as possible as well. It is not a case of prioritising one group over another. E-vetting is a quicker process and those who got in a bit earlier did not have the opportunity at the time to use the e-vetting process. However, we are clearing the backlog as quickly as possible.

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