Sir, – Simon Harris is quoted as saying “government departments and State agencies too often avoid responsibility and leave the public facing bureaucracy that is designed ‘around everybody and everything but the citizen’” (News, August 31st).
I spent 2½ years filling forms, supplying documents, and yet more documents, to apply to become an Irish citizen. I was thrilled to receive my naturalisation certificate and quickly applied for my Irish passport. I soon received a request for lots of documentation once again, some a copy of the last lot, with yet more bills proving who I am, where I live, who I live with, etc.
Frustrated and bemused, I rang the department concerned and indicated that I had given them my naturalisation certificate, which proved that I had already submitted all this information already.
The reply: “That was the Department of Justice. This is the Department of Foreign Affairs.” – Yours, etc,
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KATIE WOOLLETT,
Dublin 4.
