Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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52. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if an application for residency by a person (details supplied) will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29000/16]

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 made an application for a residence card, under the provisions of the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2015 on 9 June, 2016.

I am further informed that INIS has experienced an unprecedented and sustained increase in such applications since 2015. While every effort is made to process applications as soon as possible, processing times are approximately 9 months from receipt of application. In recognition of this INIS, by way of letter dated 12 July, 2016, granted the person's family member temporary permission to reside in the State, on Stamp 4 conditions, up to 8 March, 2017 pending a decision on the case. Insofar as the question of expediting the application is concerned, the Deputy will appreciate that, in the interest of fairness to all applicants, all such applications are dealt with in chronological order.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS by e-mail using Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically 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 the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.