Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 272: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of applicant passports at present in the possession of the Irish born child unit; when all such applicants can expect to have their passports returned to them; the action such passport holders are expected to take in the event of a family emergency that requires them to travel outside the State; if his attention has been drawn to the instances in which such a passport holder was unable to leave the State for a family emergency, for example, in the wake of the tsunami disaster; when he expects decisions will be rendered on all such applications; and if there is any way in the meantime for applicants to inquire into the status of their applications. [14789/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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It is a fundamental requirement for consideration of applications under the revised arrangements announced by me on 15 January 2005, that applicants submit a valid passport or national identity document as proof of their identity. The closing date for receipt of applications under these arrangements was 31 March 2005. Some 18,000 applications were received. To date, in excess of 4,400 applicants have been granted permission to remain in the State for two years.

My Department does not compile statistics specifically in respect of the number of passports received in the IBC unit. Plainly, given that they are a specific requirement of the scheme, passports and identity documents have been received in respect of the applications which have been processed to a decision and these have been returned to the applicants. However, it should be noted that passports not yet submitted in respect of applications made before the closing date continue to be received on an ongoing basis. In addition, requests have been received for the return of passports in respect of some 600 applications which are awaiting processing. In such cases the passports concerned are located, checked, copied and returned to the applicant in advance of processing.

All original identity documents which accompanied each application will be returned by registered post once they have been checked and copied. The specific case to which the Deputy refers, where a person was unable to travel outside the State for a family emergency connected with last December's tsunami disaster, has not been brought to the attention of the Irish born child unit dealing with the scheme.

I am aware that some applicants may require their passports at short notice, for example, in the case of a family emergency. In such cases, applicants should write to the Irish born child unit, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, PO. Box 10003, Dublin 2, quoting their reference number and stating the nature of the emergency. Arrangements are in place within IBC unit to accommodate such requests. Retrieval and return of passports in such cases is dealt with on a priority basis. However, the processing of the leave to remain applications will not be prioritised arising from such emergency requests for the return of passports: they will be processed in the normal course.

Applications are being dealt with as expeditiously as possible and, as far as is possible, in order of receipt. It is anticipated that the bulk of applications will be processed by the end of June and all applicants should by now have received an acknowledgment of their application. If they have not received an acknowledgment they should write to the IBC unit at the address above. Where the application has been acknowledged, the applicants can be assured that their application will be processed as and when it is reached in the normal course. Given the time and resource constraints it is not possible for applicants to inquire by telephone as to the status of their applications. However, written inquiries can be made to the above address.