Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom dhá cheist a ardú inniu. I wish to raise the question of foreign births registration, which is the responsibility of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Prior to Covid, it took 12 to 18 months to process applications, but during Covid the whole process was frozen. There was no progressing of any of the applications, and anyone who now wants to register a foreign birth for the purpose of naturalisation as an Irish citizen cannot do so. The Department of Foreign Affairs simply will not accept applications. I know of one instance in which somebody who has lived here almost his entire life, since not long after birth, has had an application in for two years and there has been no progress made on it. There are a number of others in a similar situation. I therefore ask the Deputy Leader to write on our behalf to the Department of Foreign Affairs to ask it to reopen the foreign births registration process and to expedite some of these matters.

Second, I welcome the fact that tonight there is - I hate using the phrase - a pilot nightclub event taking place at the Button Factory in Dublin. People are able to get out and dance, enjoy themselves and form relationships. I used a phrase here last November which people will recall. I thought it was interesting that Áine Lawlor on "Morning Ireland" asked Sunil Sharpe rather gingerly in respect of the event tonight if there will there be kissing. Frankly, I hope there will and I hope that people are able to get back out-----