Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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582. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress that has been made on the allocation of further resources to reduce the processing times for applications to the foreign births register; the number of applications on the foreign births register system currently awaiting processing; the current processing time for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29124/22]

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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829. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the current waiting time for applications to the foreign births register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30562/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 582 and 829 together.

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 (FBR) resumed in November 2021. FBR staff also continue to provide support to Passport Services due to current unprecedented levels of passport demand.

A major recruitment drive has been underway over the past several months, which has seen the number of Passport Service staff increase by over 375 since June 2021. The Passport Service is currently running its own recruitment competition for Temporary Clerical Officers. This recruitment effort will bring staffing numbers to over 900, which represents a doubling of staff compared to June 2021. It is anticipated that some of these resources will be allocated to the provision of FBR Services as the current high level of passport demand reduces.

There are currently 38,000 Foreign Birth Registration applications on hand with the Passport Service. To date this year, almost 5,500 Foreign Birth Registration applications have been processed.

Due to the complex nature of the FBR process, the large increase in applications received following the Brexit vote in the UK, and the pause in the Service due to necessary Covid-19 restrictions, applicants should allow over 2 years from the receipt of supporting documentation for processing of FBR applications at this time.

FBR 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. For other applications, the FBR service operates a transparent general policy of processing applications in order of receipt.

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