Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

140. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on a foreign birth register application by a person (details supplied). [22512/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship.

Demand for this service increased significantly as a result of the Brexit vote in the UK. The service was also impacted by necessary Covid-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021 and the unprecedented demand for passports seen in 2022.

FBR applications are currently being processed within the normal turnaround time of between 6 and 9 months from receipt of supporting documents. Applications which require further supporting documents will take longer to process.

Foreign Birth Registration, by its nature, is a detailed and complex process, often involving official documentation relating to three generations and issued by several jurisdictions. Such documents take considerable time to validate.

With regard to the specific FBR application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service requested further supporting documents from the applicant on 23 June 2022. This email went into the applicant's spam folder. The Passport Service has been in direct contact with the applicant and resent the email on 11 May 2023 regarding what is required to progress the application.