Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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1340. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will engage with the Minister for Foreign Affairs to consider instituting a statutory reform in which applicants submit a combined application for Irish citizenship and an Irish passport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39431/21]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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While my Department processes applications for a certificate of naturalisation, the processing of applications for citizenship by descent and applications for passports are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs. 

There is ongoing cooperation between the two Departments. The citizenship team of my Department and their colleagues in the Passport Office, regularly discuss matters of common interest and, last year, the Irish Association page on my Department's Immigration Service website was updated with their input. The Head of the citizenship team also sits on the Passport Reform Board, and this has assisted greatly in the sharing of ideas for the benefit of our customers.

There are no plans at present, to introduce legislation to provide for a combined application process for Irish citizenship and an Irish passport. Any such legislation would have to take account of and address issues arising from the current allocation of responsibility in these areas. That said, at this time of significant challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the focus of both Departments is on ensuring the processing of applications in the most streamlined and effective manner.