Written answers
Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Department of Justice and Equality
An Garda Síochána
Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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500. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will extend the online application service for GNIB cards to Limerick, where applicants are experiencing significant wait times; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19079/24]
Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department's Registration Office in Burgh Quay is responsible for registering immigration permissions for non-EU/EEA nationals residing in the Dublin area, and has recently extended this responsibility to Meath, Kildare and Wicklow, including the online renewal system.
An Garda Síochána has oversight of the first registration and renewal of immigration residence permissions for non-EU/EEA nationals residing outside of the Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow areas. I have no role in regard to the scheduling of these appointments.
The Garda Commissioner has advised that every effort is being made to reduce the waiting time in Limerick. An additional Garda member has been assigned on a full-time basis since mid-January 2024. This brings the number of Immigration officers to 5 as well as a registration officer. An additional desk has been set up to allow extra registrations, which is expected to further reduce waiting times.
The Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland (COFPI) recommended that immigration administrative functions should transfer from the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) to the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) function of the Department of Justice.
With effect from 8th April, first time registrations and immigration residence renewals for counties Meath, Kildare and Wicklow transferred from An Garda Síochána to the Burgh Quay Registration Office of my Department.
My Department and An Garda Síochána continue to engage intensively on the scope of further immigration operations to transfer to the Department and a roadmap outlining the functions for transfer is being finalised. This will set out the timeline for the transfer of work relating to the nationwide first registrations and renewals of residence permissions for all other counties from An Garda Síochána to the Registration Office.
It is intended that the nationwide transfer of registration functions will be substantially completed within the next 12 months.
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