Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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236. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the necessary extension to residency status might be provided to facilitate employment in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37240/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, my Department is unable to publish any information that would identify any person as being an international protection applicant. This is a separate matter to the law dealing with data protection matters more generally.

My officials and I are legally obliged, under Section 26 of the International Protection Act 2015, to ensure that the identity of any person who applies for international protection is kept confidential. Section 26(1) sets out that:

“The Minister and the Tribunal and their respective officers shall take all practicable steps to ensure that the identity of applicants is kept confidential”.

As I am sure you will appreciate, these confidentiality requirements are especially important for an asylum-seeker, whose claim inherently supposes a fear of persecution by the authorities of their home country and whose situation, or that of their family or friends still living in the country from which they have sought protection, can be jeopardised if the protection of their personal information is not ensured.

An applicant for such protection status, or their legal representative, should contact either the International Protection Office (IPO) or the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) directly, as appropriate if they wish to receive an update on the status of their case.

Contact information for The International Protection Office can be found at: Contact Us - International Protection Office (ipo.gov.ie).

Contact information for The International Protection Appeals Tribunal can be found at: Contact Us - IPAT (protectionappeals.ie).

Both the International Protection Office (IPO) and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) are fully independent in deciding whether or not to grant international protection. Each application is examined individually on its own merits, in line with national and international asylum law. They are also bound by confidentiality provisions in respect of applicants as set out in the International Protection 2015 Act.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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237. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the necessary residency update to facilitate ongoing employment might issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37241/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, my Department is unable to publish any information that would identify any person as being an international protection applicant. This is a separate matter to the law dealing with data protection matters more generally.

My officials and I are legally obliged, under Section 26 of the International Protection Act 2015, to ensure that the identity of any person who applies for international protection is kept confidential. Section 26(1) sets out that:

“The Minister and the Tribunal and their respective officers shall take all practicable steps to ensure that the identity of applicants is kept confidential”.

As I am sure you will appreciate, these confidentiality requirements are especially important for an asylum-seeker, whose claim inherently supposes a fear of persecution by the authorities of their home country and whose situation, or that of their family or friends still living in the country from which they have sought protection, can be jeopardised if the protection of their personal information is not ensured.

An applicant for such protection status, or their legal representative, should contact either the International Protection Office (IPO) or the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) directly, as appropriate if they wish to receive an update on the status of their case.

Contact information for The International Protection Office can be found at: Contact Us - International Protection Office (ipo.gov.ie).

Contact information for The International Protection Appeals Tribunal can be found at: Contact Us - IPAT (protectionappeals.ie).

Both the International Protection Office (IPO) and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) are fully independent in deciding whether or not to grant international protection. Each application is examined individually on its own merits, in line with national and international asylum law. They are also bound by confidentiality provisions in respect of applicants as set out in the International Protection 2015 Act.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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238. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when a residency update/permission to remain/naturalisation might issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37242/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that based on the information supplied, it has unfortunately not been possible to locate the application for the person referred to.

If more information can be provided, I would be happy to re-examine your request.

Please supply:

• First / given name of applicant
• Family / surname of applicant
• Date of birth of applicant
• Person ID Number
• Application number

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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239. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when a residency update/permission to remain/naturalisation might issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37243/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The person referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for a residence card under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2015, which was received by the EU Treaty Rights Division of my Department on 1 November 2023. The residence card application relates to the person’s claim to have an entitlement to a residence card based on being the adult daughter of a Union citizen and having been an adult dependent on their Union citizen parent prior to their arrival in Ireland.

While every effort is made to issue a decision on each application as soon as possible, current processing times may vary having regard to the complexity of the application and the possible need for the EU Treaty Rights Division to seek further information. The person concerned can be assured that there will be no avoidable delay in having their case brought to finality.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.