Vol. 488 No. 6
90 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of applicants for asylum who entered Ireland via another EU member state; the number of applicants who entered the State via a non-EU country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6777/98]
The majority of applicants make their applications for asylum at my Department and not at points of entry to the State. Most do not have any travel documents and do not provide exact information as to how they travelled to Ireland. In the circumstances, it is not possible for me to provide the statistical information requested by the Deputy. Given the transport links between Ireland and the rest of the world, it is, however, safe to assume that the vast majority would have entered Ireland via another EU state.
