Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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863. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if foreign births registration applications are still being processed such as in the case of a person (details supplied); the expected timeline of these applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19717/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The processing of Foreign Births Registration (FBR) applications has been temporarily paused since Ireland entered Level 5 restrictions of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19.

Prior to this pause, it took twelve to eighteen months to process applications. This was due to a heavy demand on the FBR service, the complex nature of FBR applications, as well as constraints on output due to previous COVID-19 restrictions.

The FBR application referenced was registered on 28 November 2019, and is currently waiting to be processed and all related documents are being stored in a secure environment.

The delay in the service is regretted. The FBR service is scheduled to resume once Level 3 restrictions of the framework are in place. Furthermore, plans are in place to provide increased resources to deal with arrears.