Written Answers Nos. 292-311
292. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason pensions and social welfare payments cannot be paid together or at the same time, with the exception of carers allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9096/26]
View answerThere is a general principle of one person-one payment that applies across our social welfare system. Given the contingency-based nature of this system, it can happen that a person may experience more than one contingency at the same time, but generally they can receive only one payment. This principle is common to social security systems across the world.
People might be eligible to receive one of the following supports in addition to their primary payment: Working Family Payment, Living Alone Increase, Fuel Allowance or Household Benefits Package depending on their living circumstances, their age and any applicable eligibility conditions. More information on overlapping payments and eligibility is available at gov.ie.
Furthermore, under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
Any changes to the underlying one person-one payment principle would however involve significant additional expenditure which could prove unsustainable in the long-term, and would have to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
293. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether he has examined the use of discretionary house rules by apartment management companies, particularly in relation to pet ownership, where such rules indicate that permissions may be granted on a case by case basis but are applied in practice as blanket prohibitions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8942/26]
View answer294. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department has considered the need for clearer policy or legislative guidance to ensure that house rules in managed apartment developments are applied transparently and in accordance with their stated terms, including where discretionary decision making is provided for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8943/26]
View answer295. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether, in the context of increasing numbers of people living long term in apartment accommodation, he has assessed whether current regulatory frameworks provide sufficient clarity and accountability in relation to decisions made by apartment management companies that materially affect quality of life for renters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8944/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 293, 294 and 295 together.
The Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 (MUDs Act) was enacted with the primary objective of reforming the law relating to the ownership and management of common areas of multi-unit developments, and facilitating the fair, efficient and effective management of owners' management companies (OMCs).
While the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration has had responsibility for the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 since its preparation and enactment, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is the policyholder: both regarding overall housing policy, and regarding Government action to remedy structural defects in MUDs.
Although both Departments have been engaged to ensure that there is a clear appreciation of the key problems and issues requiring to be addressed in this sector, and the relevant overall policy responses by Government, under the Programme for Government, Securing Ireland’s Future, responsibility for the regulation of OMCs and the Multi-Unit Developments Act is to be transferred from the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
A timeline for the transfer of functions is currently being advanced and will be enabled by the necessary legislative amendments which are to avoid a conflict of Ministerial responsibility as arose in the Mulcreevy case.
Engagement between our Departments is ongoing to ensure this happens in a well-managed and efficient manner.
Once responsibility for MUDS has moved, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is committed to reviewing the Act and to the making of regulations, where required.
296. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of those on Stamp 2 permission registered in third level institutions in each of the past ten years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8966/26]
View answer305. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of Stamp 2 student permissions issued in each of the past ten years; and the number of those resident in the State in each of those years holding a Stamp 2 student permission, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8829/26]
View answer332. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of those on Stamp 2 visas who have worked as healthcare assistance in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9103/26]
View answer333. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of those on Stamp 2 visas who were employed in jobs listed in the ineligible list for employment permits in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9104/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 296, 305, 332 and 333 together.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to publish a National Migration and Integration Strategy detailing how the Government intends to meet the demands and opportunities facing Ireland’s society and economy over the next decade. My Department is currently working with other Government Departments to develop this strategy with the aim to publish it in 2026.
As part of this strategic approach, I am reviewing the area of student permissions, including with regard to English Language students. This work is aimed at ensuring that the system remains robust and rules-based, supports high-quality education providers, and continues to offer a positive experience for genuine students coming to Ireland.
International students from outside the EU/EEA are granted a residence permission on Stamp 2 conditions where they have enrolled on, and commenced a course listed on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP), or eligible programmes offered by providers with authorisation to use the new TrustEd Education mark awarded by the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).
My Department holds information regarding the number of people registered at each particular educational institution but this is not published as this could be considered commercially sensitive.
I understand the Deputy has agreed to limit the scope of his request to data from 2018 onwards and that reference to stamp 2 visas in this question relate to stamp 2 immigration permissions.
The table below lists the number of Stamp 2 student residence permissions issued by my Department from 2018 - 2025.
|
Year |
Total Stamp 2 Issued |
|
2018 |
44,464 |
|
2019 |
49,658 |
|
2020 |
30,980 |
|
2021 |
28,750 |
|
2022 |
52,896 |
|
2023 |
60,882 |
|
2024 |
60,901 |
|
2025** |
56,512 |
*Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.
**Statistics for 2025 are impacted by delays to registration due to current overall pressure on this function; the final figure for those required to register Stamp 2 permissions will exceed that set out in the table.
These figures reflect the people, or unique individuals, required to register or renew their immigration permission in a calendar year. Most renewals are annual, however, there may be students that were required to register/renew multiple times in the same calendar year, such as English Language students. Therefore, these numbers per year should not be summed to an overall total but rather reflect the number of unique individuals required to register or renew in that calendar year.
A person must show that they have sufficient funds to support their stay in Ireland without recourse to public funds, or the reliance on casual employment. Stamp 2 holders may, however, engage in casual employment for a maximum of 20 hours per week during school term and 40 hours per week during holidays.
It is not a requirement for International students to inform the Immigration Service of my Department of the nature of the casual employment they engage in under Stamp 2 conditions. Therefore, the breakdown requested by the Deputy is not available.
297. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration how Ireland’s adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism aligns with the implementation of the current National Action Plan Against Racism; if he will provide details on the operationalisation of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9002/26]
View answerThe Government is determined to stamp out hate-motivated crimes and to protect all minority communities, including Jewish people, from discrimination. This is being actively achieved through legislation, policy and the provision of comprehensive supports, including through An Garda Síochána, to any people who are victims of a hate crime.
Ireland’s approach to tackling antisemitism is that it is addressed together with other forms of discrimination against minority groups as part of the National Action Plan against Racism (NAPAR) 2023-27. This is consistent with the approach recommended by the independent Anti-Racism committee that developed the NAPAR.
On a policy level, Ireland’s National Action Plan Against Racism represents a national level, State-led, co-ordinated approach to eliminating racism in all its forms in Ireland. The actions aim to have a significant positive impact on all minority ethnic communities and faith-based groups.
Department officials will be engaging with other Government Departments and with the NAPAR advisory committee regarding practical use of the IHRA definition, as an important part of this wider implementation programme.
Combatting antisemitism is also a priority for the EU and all its Member States. EU action in this area is guided by the European Commission Strategy on Combatting Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life and related Council Conclusions.
The vast majority of EU Member States, including Ireland, have also endorsed the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism. These legally non-binding guidelines provide a framework to monitor and combat antisemitism that can be adapted to a wide variety of national, regional, and cultural contexts.
298. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his plans to introduce legislation to ensure that access orders for children will not be granted against the will and preference of the children where the parent in question has been found guilty of coercive control or similar offences (details supplied). [9165/26]
View answer299. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if a review can be conducted to ensure that legislation respects, within reason, that where children who do not want to see a parent as a result of a case of abuse or intimidation, their rights are respected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8782/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 298 and 299 together.
The Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 (“1964 Act”) (as amended) governs guardianship, custody and access. Section 3 of the 1964 Act provides that the best interests of the child shall be the court’s paramount consideration in relation to guardianship, custody or access. Section 3(2) provides that the court shall determine the best interests of the child concerned, in accordance with Part V of the Act (s.31 and s.32).
Section 31 states that: “(1) In determining for the purposes of this Act what is in the best interests of a child, the court shall have regard to all of the factors or circumstances that it regards as relevant to the child concerned and his or her family”, and provides a list of those factors and circumstances. Section 31 also states that: “In obtaining the ascertainable views of a child for the purposes of subsection (2)(b), the court—
(a) shall facilitate the free expression by the child of those views and, in particular, shall endeavour to ensure that any views so expressed by the child are not expressed as a result of undue influence, and
(b) may make an order under section 32.”
Section 32 of the Act provides:
“(1) In proceedings to which section 3(1)(a) applies, the court may, by order, do either or both of the following:
(a) give such directions as it thinks proper for the purpose of procuring from an expert a report in writing on any question affecting the welfare of the child; or
(b) appoint an expert to determine and convey the child’s views.”
The Programme for Government commits to ensuring proper regulation and funding for Voice of the Child and Welfare Reports, giving children a voice in legal proceedings that affect them. On foot of the publication in June 2024 of a wide-ranging review into the role of expert reports in the family law process, there has been significant progress in implementing its 20 ambitious recommendations for reform.
In October 2024, my Department established a Voice of the Child Working Group with membership comprising both statutory and voluntary stakeholders in the family justice system. The group was set up in line with the commitment in Goal One of the Family Justice Strategy, that of “supporting children”. The group is taking forward some of the recommendations in the Review of Expert Reports, including the development of a Children’s Court Advocate Pilot Project and the development of a voice of the child report template and guidelines.
The envisaged role of a Children’s Court Advocate is to support children in their journey through private family law proceedings, providing information and ensuring their voice is heard. €2.5 million was allocated for reform of the process in Budget 2026 and part of that will go towards funding the pilot. The Children’s Court Advocate pilot will commence in early 2026 and will initially be rolled out in two locations. The service will be free of charge for children and their families.
I would also note that the Chief Justice has established a Judicial Committee to develop guidelines on the commissioning, content and use of welfare reports, chaired by the Honourable Ms Justice Nuala Jackson of the High Court. The Committee is being supported by my Department and the guidelines are expected to be published shortly.
Once fully implemented, these recommendations will improve the quality of expert reports in family law proceedings, standardising practises relating to how they are developed in situations where they are required. They will support the judiciary in their decision making and ensure that children are at the centre of our efforts to improve outcomes for them and their families.
300. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his attention has been drawn to a recent report from Canada in November 2025 that shows the extent of the failings of a mandatory pretrial disclosure system, and the significant psychological harm caused even by the possibility of disclosure; and to provide the reasoning for legislating for mandatory pretrial disclosure in the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8810/26]
View answerThe prospect of the disclosure of counselling notes is a very traumatic one for complainants in a criminal trial, and I fully sympathise with victims and survivors who have deeply felt views in this matter. However, the Attorney General has advised that a blanket ban on the disclosure of counselling records is not compatible with the Constitution and therefore disclosure hearings are necessary.
The original intention of section 19A of the Criminal Evidence Act 1992, the insertion of which was supported by the Deputy's party, was that the counselling records would only be disclosed if there was a real risk of an unfair trial. However, the legislation has not operated as intended and counselling records are being routinely disclosed. By requiring that a disclosure hearing take place in which the judge assesses the relevance of any counselling records through a judicial process, the original intention of the legislation will apply and the difficult balance between the victim’s right to personal privacy and the accused person’s right to a fair trial can be struck.
On 4 February 2026, I secured Government approval to make further amendments to section 19A, in order to restrict the disclosure of counselling notes to the maximum extent permissible under the Constitution. These include a presumption of non-disclosure, which creates a form of statutory privilege, so that the default position is that counselling notes are not to be disclosed, unless there is a risk of an unfair trial.
The amendments send a strong signal to any future complainants that their records are protected from intrusion and provide reassurance that unwarranted requests will be rejected by the court. Additionally, it is intended to extend the protections of section 19A to other categories of records which have a high expectation of privacy, including medical records, psychiatric records, therapeutic records, child protection records and social service records. These amendments will provide increased protections and greater reassurance to complainants in criminal trials concerning sexual offences in relation to the use of personal records in those trials.
My Department is cognisant of the practice and approaches taken in other jurisdictions facing similar challenges to Ireland with regard to the disclosure of counselling records, including Canada.
301. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his views on the adequacy of the level of communication with persons due to be awarded Irish Citizenship; if the notification of the ceremony will be sent out with greater notice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8815/26]
View answer302. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the position regarding the timeline for the next Irish Citizenship ceremonies due to be held in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8816/26]
View answer303. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the process whereby the locations for Irish Citizenship ceremonies are selected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8817/26]
View answer304. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his views on the merits of providing for Irish Citizenship ceremonies to be held in individual local authorities, in order that attendees can be in their own community for the ceremony; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8818/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 301 to 304, inclusive, together.
Citizenship ceremonies were first introduced in 2011 in order to mark the occasion of the granting of citizenship in a dignified and solemn manner and have been very well received.
My Department held 25 citizenship ceremonies last year and ceremonies will continue to be held on a regular basis during 2026. I can advise the Deputy that planning is at an advanced stage for upcoming citizenship ceremonies in the coming months.
The significant administrative burden associated with holding ceremonies limits the number of ceremonies that my Department can host in a year. In order to facilitate as many applicants as possible at the events the Department must consider the size and capacity of the venue when planning the ceremonies.
The venues selected represent the best opportunity to facilitate the volume of applicants completing the process.
My Department communicates directly and regularly with all applicants to keep them informed on processing times and any updates on citizenship matters.
My Department endeavours to send out invitations to ceremonies a month in advance. This is not always possible as payment is awaited from applicants. Where invitations are issued at short notice, applicants have the option of deferring to a future ceremony.
Attendance at a Citizenship Ceremony remains the primary avenue for the granting of Irish citizenship. An oath of fidelity to the nation and a declaration are taken before a Presiding Officer appointed by the Minister for Justice.
There are no plans at this time to hold ceremonies in individual local authority areas.
Further information on Citizenship Ceremonies is available here: https://www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/citizenship-ceremonies/
306. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department will renew and extend the contract to use a hotel (details supplied) as an IPAS Centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8841/26]
View answerThe Department has had a contract in place with a provider to provide international protection accommodation at this location since early 2024.
It is functioning as a dispersal centre for the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), with families in residence for a short period of time before transfer to an alternative centre. The end date of the current contract is during the first quarter of 2026.
Details of individual contractual processes are treated as confidential and commercially sensitive while they are ongoing.
With respect to potential for contract renewals, the provision of accommodation for international protection applicants is demand-led, which remains high, and each premises is considered on a case-by-case basis to decide if the contract will be renewed as it approaches its end date.
At potential renewal stage, consideration will be given to the current and projected demand for accommodation, the provider's performance under contract, and compliance with standards and legal obligations.
Ireland has adopted and is now working to implement the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum in mid-2026. Reforming and speeding up processing of applications should also serve over time to reduce the scale of the demand for international protection accommodation.
The Department is working to increase the amount of State-owned international protection accommodation and creating a more stable and sustainable accommodation system.
As developing these more sustainable state-owned accommodation system options will take time, the commissioning of emergency commercial accommodation will continue to be a feature in the short to medium term.
307. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on a citizenship application submitted by a person (details supplied) in County Louth who is working as an anaesthesiologist since March 2023. [8848/26]
View answerThe naturalisation application referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department.
I understand that extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants. I want to assure anyone who has an application for naturalisation submitted that the Citizenship Division of my Department is doing everything possible to progress applications as quickly as possible.
It is important to note, however, that no two naturalisation applications are the same and some take longer than others to process. Given the importance of citizenship, robust and comprehensive checks must take place on each application. Unfortunately, some checks, such as international checks, can take a considerable amount of time and these are largely outside of the control of the Immigration Service.
For that reason, while, I expect that going forward, that most applicants will receive a decision within one year, this cannot be guaranteed in the case of applications made in any specific year.
Citizenship Division have taken a significant number of steps to improve up the process for applicants. These included introducing an online digital application, online payments, and the introduction of eVetting. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that these changes are reducing processing times.
Applicants can now directly check the status of their immigration application on the Immigration Service’s Customer Service Portal. They can register for, or log in to their existing account, at: https://portal.irishimmigration.ie/en/
As an Oireachtas member, you can also request the status of individual immigration cases 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 Question process.
308. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the changes that have taken place between youth diversion (YDP) programme and the probation service, given that youths going through the YDP no longer access the probation service. [8859/26]
View answerAn essential pillar of the Government’s evidence-based approach to youth offending is the Garda Youth Diversion Programme. Any child between the ages of 12 and 17 who commits a criminal offence is entitled to be considered for admission to the Diversion Programme. Assessment of each case is done by the Director of the Garda Diversion Programme (Garda Superintendent).
The operation of this programme includes informal and formal Garda warnings, delivered in the presence of parents or guardians, as well as provision for supervision by a Garda Juvenile Liaison Officer. The Programme is supported by 94 local Youth Diversion Projects (YDP) across the country.
YDPs are community-based and multi-agency youth crime prevention initiatives. Given the Government's commitment to divert young people away from the criminal justice system, my Department now supports 94 YDPs providing nationwide coverage across the State for the first time. The programmes offered by YDPs provide participants with suitable activities to facilitate their personal development, promote civic responsibility, encourage pro-social behaviour in their communities and improve their educational outcomes and long-term employability prospects.
These opportunities are intended to allow young people to reflect on and challenge their past behaviour, enhance their capacity to regulate their emotions and resolve conflict, and develop positive and appropriate relationships with their peers. Restorative justice and motivational interviewing techniques are embedded in the work of YDPs.
It should be noted that participants in a YDP are not also engaged with the Probation Service, and this remains unchanged.
Since the launch of the Youth Justice Strategy 2021 - 2027, considerable progress has been made to enhance the YDP network’s capacity to engage those who are most at risk of involvement in criminal activity, as well as address the underlying factors that cause this involvement.
This has been achieved by extending existing project catchment areas and developing specialised Early Intervention, Family Support and Harder-to-Reach programmes which seek to target the following groups:
• Immediate family members of participants who are contributing to children and young people’s offending behaviour.
• Children aged between 8 and 11 years who are at risk of coming to the attention of law enforcement once they reach the age of criminal responsibility; and
• Prolific young offenders who present to YDPs and youth-related services with complex needs and are more likely to come before the Courts or enter detention.
While the vast majority of children are deemed to be suitable for diversion by the Garda National Youth Diversion Bureau, there is a population of young offenders engaged in serious and prolific offending who require more targeted interventions and therefore may be deemed unsuitable for diversion from the Criminal Justice system.
For these cases, my Department, in collaboration with the Probation Service, operates a number of initiatives distinctly designed to address serious and prolific youth offending, these are:
• the Greentown Programme,
• the Youth Justice Agency Response to Crime (YJARC), and
• targeted interventions for children who are harder to reach in terms of addressing prolific and serious offending.
In addition, from 1 January this year, management of the Bail Supervision Scheme (BSS) transferred from my Department to the Probation Service. BSS offers courts an alternative option to detaining a young person who comes before them by offering them the possibility of granting bail with intensive supervision.
The BSS scheme currently serves the Children Courts in Dublin, Limerick and Cork. The scheme uses Multisystemic Therapy (MST) to support families of young people to adhere to their conditions prior to subsequent court appearances.
309. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No. 150 of 27 January 2026, if he is aware of the role that community support networks play in supporting those people arriving in Ireland under the Humanitarian Admissions Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8873/26]
View answer310. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No. 150 of 27 January 2026, if his attention has been drawn to the pleas of community groups that are supporting people under the Humanitarian Admissions Programme in relation to their capacity to support additional people and the potential to expand the numbers accepted on this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8874/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 309 and 310 together.
Between 2021 and 2024, Ireland welcomed over 700 people who were refugees from Afghanistan through the Irish Refugee Protection Programme's (IRPP) Afghan Programme.
As the Deputy is aware, within the remit of IRPP, a Humanitarian Admissions Programme prioritises at-risk individuals such as human rights defenders, women’s rights activists, LGBTQ+ individuals, judiciary and journalists. The Humanitarian Admissions Programme has been in place since 2021.
The Humanitarian Admissions Programme acts as a complementary means of supporting arrivals to Ireland under the IRPP. Government has committed to 50 admissions per year under the programme, from 2024-2027. Applications under the 2025 programme are completed and details of the 2026 programme will be available in due course.
Insofar as the important role that community sponsorship groups play in the scheme, it is the case that the group in question must have housing sourced and be committed to supporting the arriving beneficiary for a defined period of time. This ensures effective integration, community supports, and long term sustainable accommodation in the midst of the current accommodation crisis.
I am aware that the number of applications has exceeded the number of available admissions, and that there is a desire on the part of prospective sponsors groups to increase the numbers being supported, however, given the Government’s existing commitments to resettle refugees, it is not intended to increase the number of admissions available during the current phase of the IRPP.
311. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration given his Department has stated it is processing citizenship applications via Irish association in chronological order, to clarify the date of such applications currently being processed for a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8885/26]
View answerLast year my Department published guidelines for applications on the basis of Irish Associations under Section 16(1)(a) of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956. The guidelines provide clarity to both applicants and decision-makers. They set out the factors that may be considered when deciding whether to waive the statutory conditions in certain circumstances, including where the applicant is of Irish descent or Irish associations.
The guidelines have been developed in the interests of fair and transparent procedures and comprehensive decision making. Details of the guidelines are available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/.
Following the publication of the new guidelines, my Department then wrote to over 1,500 people with ongoing Section 16 applications advising them of the recently published guidelines and afforded them an opportunity to provide additional documentation or submissions if they wished. Following this, a significant number of submissions relating to Section 16 'Irish Association' applications have been received, and the processing of those applications commenced upon receipt of the first submission. Submissions have not yet been received from a significant number of applicants and as a result, it is the case that some applications, where additional submissions have been made, have been progressed to completion ahead of others that may have made their initial application at an earlier point. For that reason, it is not possible to indicate an exact date for applications currently being processed.
I wish also to advise the Deputy that while cases are registered and progressed in order of receipt, their progression to completion can be affected by a range of factors relating to individual circumstances, the complexity of applications, whether further information is required from the applicants and whether all required checks have been completed. Given the importance of citizenship, robust and comprehensive checks must take place on each application; unfortunately, some international checks can take a considerable amount of time and these are largely outside of the control of the Immigration Service.
