Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 19: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the average time taken to process applications for residency within his Department; if he will confirm that applications received in January 2007 are only now being processed; the reasons for such a long delay; the steps being taken to speed up the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40193/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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While the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) deals with numerous types of applications for residence in this State, I assume the Deputy is referring to applications for long term residence.

The current Long Term Residence Scheme was introduced in May 2004 and operates on an administrative basis. This administrative scheme is focused on persons who have been legally resident in the State for over five years on the basis of work permit, work authorisation or work visa conditions. Such persons may apply to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) for a five year residency permission. In that context they may also apply to be exempt from employment permit requirements. The dependants of the aforementioned, who have been legally resident in the State for over five years may also apply for long term residency. However, this particular long term permission does not grant an exemption from employment permit requirements to any such dependants. Time spent in the State on student conditions cannot be counted towards long term residency.

An important provision in the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill, 2008 provides for the introduction of a new, enhanced and statutory long-term resident status. This status will be available to those who have completed at least five years satisfactory residence in the State and can meet certain conditions. These include the requirement that the foreign national be of good character, tax compliant, can demonstrate a reasonable competence in the Irish or English language, has made reasonable efforts to integrate and has been supporting him or herself and any dependants without recourse to publicly-funded services.

The Bill also provides a mechanism for a "fast track" to Long Term Residence in certain circumstances. It is intended that green card holders will be able to apply for long term residence after two years, which is by any standards a very generous approach. Long term resident status will confer rights that approach those of Irish Nationals and bring with it access, for the foreign national and his or her qualifying dependants, to the employment market and State-funded services and benefits. The benefits enjoyed by holders of this status are an acknowledgement that, over time, those who migrate to Ireland contribute increasingly to society and the economy and have earned this status and the stability it brings.

As the Deputy will appreciate, the applications that the INIS receives are diverse in nature and generally of a very high volume, and the processing times vary considerably according to the nature and circumstances of the scheme in question. In all instances, processing arrangements are kept under ongoing review and steps are taken to reduce waiting times where this is feasible having regard to available resources and overall priorities.

There has been a very significant increase in applications for long term residence in recent years. The INIS has recently allocated additional resources to deal with these applications and this has seen an improvement in the processing arrangements with the number of applications finalised on a monthly basis in the region of 400. The INIS has taken these steps with a view to providing an improved customer service to applicants for long term residency and incrementally, an improvement in processing times. Resource allocations are kept under constant review having regard to overall priorities.