Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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829. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications received for citizenship in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020; the number of applications received in the same years that are still pending; the efforts being taken to address any backlogs arising from these years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13746/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 829 and 892 together.

I am deeply conscious of how important the granting of naturalisation is to all of those who apply for it. I understand that extended wait times can be frustrating and disruptive for applicants and my Department has been working hard to clear backlogs.

It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time. In certain cases, necessary information can be awaited from the applicant.

In a little over two years Citizenship Division has gone from processing around 12,000 applications a year to processing over 20,000 applications. This 66% increase in processing has been achieved through digitising and streamlining processes.

I can assure the Deputy that the Citizenship Division of my Department is committed to reducing how long applicants have to wait for a decision while improving the service provided to applicants.

To help achieve this my Department held additional Citizenship Ceremonies last year (15 held in 2023, up from 6 in 2022) and will again this year to ensure it has the ability to naturalise as many applicants as possible.

Of the 11,569 applications that remain outstanding for the years 2017 to 2022, some 1,763 (15%) have in fact received a decision and are at the final stage of the application process. Those applications which are outstanding are in the main from 2022 to date.