Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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631. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to examine a further extension in respect of immigration permissions due to expire between 20 August and 20 September 2020. [24697/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Last week, I announced a further temporary extension of immigration and international protection permissions to 20 January 2021. This applies to permissions that are due to expire between 20 September 2020 and 20 January 2021, and to the same three primary categories of persons as before:

1.Those who are renewing their permission;

2.Those awaiting a first registration; and

3.Those who are in the country on a short stay visa who are unable to return home due to uncertainties caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

This measure provides certainty to anyone who already holds a valid permission that their legal status in this country is maintained until 20 January 2021. Renewal is on the same basis as the existing permission and the same conditions will continue to apply.

The extension provides the necessary time to make arrangements with the Immigration Service in Dublin or An Garda Síochána outside Dublin to ensure that registrations are renewed in the normal way by that date. I encourage people to do so at the earliest opportunity and not to wait until January to do so.

All renewals in the Dublin area are being processed online only since 20 July 2020, at: . Renewals outside of the Dublin area are processed by the Garda National Immigration Bureau through the Garda Station network. Information on the contact details for all the registration offices outside Dublin is available at:

.

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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632. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of plans for a significant overhaul and reform of the way in which accommodation is provided to asylum seekers; the details of increases in resources for the hearing of asylum applications and appeals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24707/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government contains a commitment to end the current system of Direct Provision within the lifetime of the Government and to replace it with a new international protection accommodation policy, centred on a not-for-profit approach.

Last year, Dr Catherine Day was asked to bring together an expert group with representation from asylum seekers and NGOs to examine best practice in other European States in the provision of services to international protection applicants, to examine likely longer term trends and to set out recommendations and solutions. The Group is examining both the reception system for accommodating applicants and the system for processing applications, and is expected to make recommendations for changes in both areas. Any new system for the provision of accommodation and additional supports to international protection applicants will be informed by the Report of this Expert Group. The Report is expected to be submitted to Government shortly for consideration.

A White Paper considering the totality of the international protection process, including the provision of accommodation, will be informed by the Group's Report and will be published by the end of this year. While my Department currently holds responsibility for the accommodation system and the implementation of reception standards, this responsibility will shortly transfer to my colleague, the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration once the Transfer of Functions is completed.

I can also confirm that an additional budget of €1m was allocated to the Immigration Service Delivery area of my Department in 2020, which included provision for additional staffing to fast-track international protection applications. Resources were allocated which allowed for the introduction of video interviews of protection applicants living outside of Dublin for the first time.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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633. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if there are circumstances to allow the granting of citizenship to elderly Irish persons that have lived here their entire lives but happen to be born in England, Scotland or Wales as their parents had been migrant workers there and then returned home soon after the baby was born; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24734/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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A person may be entitled to Irish citizenship through their parent(s) or grandparent(s), regardless of where the child was born, if they are eligible for Irish citizenship through descent.

If either parent was an Irish citizen at the time of the child's birth, they are an Irish citizen, irrespective of their place of birth. If the parent from whom they derive Irish citizenship was not alive at the time of their birth, but would have been an Irish citizen if alive at that time, they are also an Irish citizen. A person can derive citizenship through an Irish parent whether or not the parents were married to each other at the time of their birth.

If a person was born outside Ireland to an Irish citizen who was himself or herself born outside Ireland, and any of their grandparents was born in Ireland, then they are entitled to become an Irish citizen, and can do so by having their birth registered in the Foreign Births Register maintained by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Further information can be found at: .

If they are of the third or subsequent generation born abroad to an Irish citizen (in other words, one of their parents is an Irish citizen but none of their parents or grandparents was born in Ireland), they may be entitled to become an Irish citizen by having their birth registered in the Foreign Births Register. This depends on whether the parent through whom they derive Irish citizenship had himself or herself become an Irish citizen by being registered in the Foreign Births Register before the person was born.

If a person is entitled to register, their Irish citizenship is effective from the date of registration. The Irish citizenship of successive generations may be maintained in this way by each generation ensuring registration in the Foreign Births Register before the birth of the next generation.

More information can be found on the Immigration Service website at:.