Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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342. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress to date in the determination of an application for dual citizenship in the case of a person (details supplied); when the application will be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61192/21]

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.

The processing of Foreign Birth Registration has resumed and will be gradually scaling up in line with the recruitment of additional resources. Due to the complex nature of the Foreign Birth Registration process and the pause in the Service due to necessary Covid-19 restrictions, applicants are being advised that they should allow approximately 2 years from the receipt of supporting documentation for processing of Foreign Birth Registration applications at this time.

With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, no supporting documentation has been received for this application. Without supporting documentation, this application cannot be progressed. Once submitted, supporting documentation will be stored in a secure environment until the application can be checked for entitlement.

Foreign Birth Registration staff continue to provide an emergency service for Foreign Birth Registration in cases of exceptional urgency, such as expectant parents, or stateless persons. Such applicants may contact the Passport Service directly.

My Department is fully committed to allocating additional resources over the coming period to assist with the processing of the high volume of new applications anticipated, and the Foreign Birth Registration applications currently on hand.