Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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122. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the foreign birth registration application for a person (details supplied) can be reviewed and expedited; and if he will address matters in relation to the delays in this process. [54796/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is responsible for citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the processing time for FBR applications stood at 18 months due to an unprecedented surge in applications as a result of Brexit and the necessarily rigorous processing that applies to citizenship applications.

The application referenced was registered on 30 September 2020, and is waiting to be processed. The Passport Service has been in contact with the applicant to provide a status update on their application. All documentation received is being stored in a secure environment.

Due to the pandemic, FBR staff have been reassigned to assist in the delivery of essential services. This has resulted in a pause in overall FBR processing. FBR staff have continued to provide an emergency service for Foreign Birth Registration in cases of exceptional urgency, such as expectant parents, or stateless persons. In cases of exceptional urgency FBR applicants may continue to contact the Passport Service directly.

The Passport Service is actively preparing to resume processing Foreign Birth Registration applications as soon as possible and an announcement of the resumption date can be expected shortly. My Department is fully committed to allocating the necessary resources to assist with the high volume of applications, with a focus on reducing turnaround times.