Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise the difficulties I am experiencing, on behalf of my constituents, with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, INIS. The service is described on its website as a one-stop-shop but appears to be a shop that never opens. For several months now, those contacting the INIS by telephone have been met with the message "We are sorry but due to the pressure of work, we cannot talk to you" or words to that effect. As with other colleagues, I am frustrated by the lack of engagement from the office.

It is unfair for the State to establish channels of communication which deliberately lead a person nowhere. This is a throwback to the days when bureaucracy considered people pursuing their natural right to information fair game and deliberately set out to frustrate them. Thankfully, in the interests of democracy, we have come a long way in recent years to correct unfair bureaucratic practices. Freedom of information is important because it aims to make government open, transparent and accountable. The Freedom of Information Act is based on the premise that people have the right of access to public documents save for certain exemptions on the grounds of national security.

I am not making a far-reaching request which will create substantial costs, nor is the information I seek an international secret or rocket science. All I seek is fair play for those who are unfortunate enough to find themselves in lonely circumstances in a foreign country and turn to public representatives for help. It is incredible that Members of the national Parliament are unable to make contact with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, an agency which has power over the destiny of constituents who seek basic information about the status of their applications for citizenship, asylum or refugee status. There is no place in modern Ireland for retaining a legacy of bureaucratic elitism in any part of the public service. I appeal to the Minister for Justice and Equality to immediately stop the unfair and obstructive practice in which the INIS office is engaged.

As an agency that interfaces directly with members of the public, the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service should convey an image of a friendly, helpful and caring nation. When one telephones bodies such as the ESB, Bord Gáis or local authorities one is sent around all sorts of places and must call all sorts of numbers. It is especially important that we are able to speak to a human voice when dealing with applications for citizenship, asylum and refugee status.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The right of all Members of this House to make representations on behalf of constituents is a core democratic principle and an important part of ensuring that individual rights and interests are properly accounted for in the administration of government. I assure the House that my Department makes every effort to facilitate Deputies to submit representations and queries on individual cases and to provide timely responses to all matters raised. The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, INIS, is particularly aware of the need to respond to representations from Oireachtas Members and customers alike.

The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service is responsible for the administration of the State's immigration system and deals with substantial volumes of cases each year. By way of illustration, in 2011 INIS dealt with approximately 164,000 new applications across the immigration spectrum such as applications for visas, residence, protection and citizenship. Understandably, given this volume of activity, a very large number of queries from Oireachtas Members on the status of individual applications is received by INIS. To meet this requirement a dedicated Oireachtas Members e-mail service has been established by INIS and it is my understanding that all Members are aware that it exists. Detailed up-to-date information on such cases can be accessed by Members using this service or by contacting me or my office directly. In addition, the parliamentary questions process is available for general and policy related matters and is also used by Deputies for queries on individual cases.

The e-mail facility operated by INIS is for the exclusive use of Oireachtas Members and was established to facilitate Members seeking information on individual cases, while also enabling large volumes of queries to be dealt with speedily, efficiently and at less cost than the parliamentary questions process. In 2011, almost 4,200 e-mail queries were processed through the Oireachtas e-mail service. The service has been well received and INIS is examining improvements to it. Any suggestions by Deputy Phelan in that regard would be welcome. She may wish to note that in the most recent Dáil session, I replied to 641 parliamentary questions on immigration related matters, which accounted for 45% of all questions answered by me in the period in question. The vast majority of questions concerned individual cases, including queries on the status of citizenship applications.

The Deputy has outlined difficulties experienced in contacting the citizenship section of INIS by telephone. Prior to it being raised here today, I was unaware of the issue to which she refers. I would have been happy if she had brought it to my attention. My door is always open and I encourage all Deputies who encounter issues in accessing any part of my Department to raise their concerns with me or my private office and I will ensure they are dealt with promptly. I am also open to arranging briefings by my officials. In that regard Deputies have been briefed in the past on the Oireachtas mail system. I recollect that in May last, Deputy Phelan was so briefed.

I am advised that the citizenship section operates a telephone helpline two days a week and, on average, deals with 6,000 calls each year. The full details of the various helplines operated by INIS are available on its website. Given the substantial volume of citizenship applications currently on hand, all available resources are being targeted at processing applications. Consequently, the scope to increase the capacity of the helpline service is limited. Nonetheless, I have asked my officials to examine the matter to establish if the telephone service can be enhanced without displacing resources from case processing. However, the telephone helpline is primarily for customers with the dedicated e-mail service being reserved for Oireachtas Members.

Regarding the processing of citizenship applications generally, the measures I introduced last year to deal with citizenship applications have resulted in a significant increase in the number of cases decided. More than 16,000 valid applications were decided last year, compared to 7,785 cases decided in 2010. By late spring-early summer of this year it is anticipated that all standard applications, that is, non-complex cases accounting for 70% of all applications, will be completed within six months. By way of comparison, when I was appointed Minister such cases where taking more than two years to complete.

On 24 June last year I presided over the first formal citizenship ceremony held in this State. Since that date a further 27 such ceremonies have taken place and citizenship ceremonies will continue to be scheduled, including a further group of ceremonies which will take place in the first week of February. Preparation for citizenship ceremonies requires substantial resources from the INIS citizenship section and I thank those working in the section for taking on an extra burden in the preparation for such ceremonies and the outstanding work they have done when present at such ceremonies.

Given the information I have outlined, I hope the Deputy will appreciate that every effort is made to respond to queries from Oireachtas Members. As I stated, I am always open to any suggestions Members may have, on the understanding that priority will continue to be given to processing cases as expeditiously as possible. My officials will explore the possibility of the telephone line being open for an additional period.

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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I thank the Minister for his extremely comprehensive response and welcome his statement that he will consider opening the telephone line for a longer period. My office has to my knowledge explored the e-mail facility available to Oireachtas Members. I will check with my office staff as to precisely what satisfaction they have had from the service. In most cases involving the INIS, however, Members need to speak to a person. It is highly frustrating for staff members who contact the service by telephone to be continuously informed that no one is available to speak to them. I will continue to monitor the position.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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It is my understanding from colleagues that the e-mail service is working extremely well. Colleagues from all sides of the House who use the service - it is not exclusive to Government Deputies in any shape or form - get speedy responses to queries they raise. On occasions when an urgent issue has arisen in respect of immigration, residence, asylum or citizenship matters Deputies on all sides have the facility of making contact with my private secretary who always follows up matters and has responded to queries raised by Deputy Phelan. I am a little bit at a loss as to what particular difficulties arose for the Deputy's office. I emphasise to Deputies that they should avail of the specially dedicated e-mail service to facilitate Members who are following up issues of concern that arise in this area. To respond to queries, certain basic background information is required - for example, the names and addresses of the individuals concerned and the circumstances which give rise to concern. These matters are dealt with efficiently by use of the e-mail service and I hope Deputy Phelan would avail of the service should any difficulty arise.

Not a day passes without a Member of the House approaching me when I am in the Chamber with a problem which arises within the justice brief - frequently, issues relating to asylum, residency or citizenship. I seek to ensure that whenever something is raised with me, the response is provided. I think we have a good record in that regard.