Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 228: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of people who have been granted long-term residency for each of the past ten years with a breakdown by nationality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33130/07]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 229: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of people who have been refused long-term residency for each of the past ten years with a breakdown by nationality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33131/07]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the average length of time it takes to process an application for long-term residency for each of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33134/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 228, 229 and 232 together.

Long term residency is an administrative scheme that was introduced in May 2004 and is focused on persons who have been legally resident in the State for over five years on the basis of work permit / work authorisation / work visa conditions. Such persons may apply to the Immigration Division of my Department for a five year residency extension. To date, the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service has received over 6,000 applications under the scheme.

The statistics requested by the Deputy are not available for each of the past 10 years as the scheme was introduced in May 2004. I can, however, provide the Deputy with the following statistics:

The number of applications currently on hand for long term residency is 6243.

The General Immigration Division of my Department deals with a variety of applications for permission to remain in the State, including long term residency. Applications for long term residency are processed having regard to the overall workload of the Division. I understand that applications received in July 2006 are currently being dealt with.