Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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83. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to renew stamp 4 for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8767/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person concerned held an immigration permission which expired on 4 March, 2016.

I am generally aware that foreign nationals living in the State can encounter difficulties in the area of obtaining or renewing passports particularly when there is no embassy or consulate here to assist. As you will appreciate, the conditions under which a national passport is issued or renewed are essentially a matter between the citizen and the national government.

As the current immigration permission of the person referred to by the Deputy has expired, they should apply for renewal of this permission with the Garda National Immigration Bureau and provide evidence that they have been in contact with their embassy for consular assistance. I understand from INIS that the individual in question may be able to obtain a consular identification card, from the nearest embassy, which they can present to their local immigration office to enable them to be registered for a further period.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.