Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There is another area of concern. We want to help genuine applicants, and I understand that takes time. We have been told this morning of it taking 16 months, with an average time of 14 months. That is certainly different information than we have seen in answers to questions in other forums. The impression given to the public is that it only takes a number of weeks. I understand there is a right of appeal and so on, but when the Department last appeared before us, its representatives said in response to a question from me that there was one person who had been in the system for 15 years. Is that person still there?