Colm Burke (Fine Gael)

A number of the doctors working in the health service who came from abroad several years ago are now applying for citizenship. Some of the nurses we recruited from the Philippines five or six years ago are also applying for citizenship. I acknowledge the efforts made to expedite their applications but I have been contacted by several individuals who are thinking about going to Canada because they have been waiting too long for their applications to be processed. Can the processing of citizenship applications be expedited for those who work in key areas such as nursing and medicine? I recognise it may not be possible to do so given the volume of applications that must be processed but the health service is facing staff shortages.

I welcome the Minister's initiative in regard to the investor programme and wish him every success with it.