Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party)
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35. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when the online appointment system for Garda National Immigration Bureau, promised for the end of the first quarter of 2015, will be brought on stream; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27072/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I should at the outset explain that the public office in Burgh Quay services two separate functions – one dealing with non-EEA nationals seeking to register and renew their permission to be in the State, a function which is currently being carried out by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), and a separate function dealing with applicants for re-entry visas, which is carried out by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS).

The introduction of an on-line appointment service for the re-entry visa process is at an advanced stage. Testing of the system is currently underway. It is expected to be in place shortly. I should emphasise that applications for re-entry visas may be made by post. There is no necessity to attend at the public office and I would urge all applicants to make full use of the postal service insofar as possible.

In common with the re-entry system, the immigration service is also planning to introduce an on-line booking system for appointments to register and apply for permission to be in the State. Naturally, it is important that there is coherence between the various services provided to persons using the public office whether they are provided by INIS or GNIB. Therefore, the experience of operating the re-entry visa appointment system will be examined to see if it can be adapted for the registration and permission to remain process also.

I should point out that within existing arrangements every effort is made to provide a customer friendly service for callers to the Burgh Quay offices. The GNIB Public Office is open from 8am to 9pm each Monday to Thursday and 8am to 6pm each Friday (excluding bank holidays). The office also remains open through lunchtime. Priority is given in the early morning period for particular categories including those coming here to work or conduct business, with tickets for persons registering their presence in Ireland for study-related purposes being allocated after 9am (special arrangements are in place for students during the period September – Mid November to cover the return to studies period). This is to minimise the amount of time persons at work are required to be away from their jobs. In addition, the GNIB with the assistance of the Garda Press Office has recently established a Garda website notification system for the purpose of assisting persons who are required to attend at Burgh Quay for registration. On three separate occasions during each day an announcement is posted on the Garda Website alerting customers to the number of available tickets remaining at the Burgh Quay public office for that day.

It is worth noting that the public immigration office In Burgh Quay receives in the region of 100,000 persons annually, making it one of the busiest public offices in the State.