Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 359: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the processing time for an application for long-term residency; the action he has taken to reduce the waiting time since his answer of 5 February 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15024/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service receives a considerable and diverse range of applications for permission to remain in the State including applications for long term residency. As the Deputy will appreciate, the processing time for dealing with such applications can vary depending on the type of application involved and the particular circumstances of the individual concerned. In all instances, processing arrangements are kept under ongoing review and steps are taken to ensure that applications are dealt with as quickly as possible having regard to overall resources across the full range of services provided by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service.

I understand that applications received in August 2006 are currently being dealt with. The procedures for processing long term residency applications have been developed and refined over a number of years and I am satisfied that they are necessary to maintain the integrity of the long term residency process. I have recently deployed additional staff to the Immigration Division of my Department for the purpose of processing long term residency applications and I am satisfied that these additional resources will make an impact in processing the backlog on hand and dealing with the ongoing increase in the number of applications being received.