Bernard J. Durkan
Question:155 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of non-nationals refused entry into this country in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25297/98]
Written Answers - Asylum Applications.
During the period 1 November 1997 to 31 October 1998, 2,816 people were refused leave to land in the State. Of these, 759 sought asylum and were admitted on that basis.
The grounds under which a person may be refused leave to land in the State are set out in Article 5 (2) of the Aliens Order 1946 as inserted by Article 3 of the Aliens (Amendment) Order 1975, S.I. No. 128 of 1975. The principal grounds are as follows: (1) the person is not in a position to support her/himself and any accompanying dependants; (2) although wishing to take up employment in the State, the person is not in possession of a valid work permit issued by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment; (3) the person is suffering from a specified disease or disability; (4) the person has been convicted (whether in the State or otherwise) of an offence punishable under the law of the place of conviction by imprisonment for a maximum period of at least one year; (5) the person being a national of a State subject to visa controls is not the holder of a valid Irish visa; (6) the person is the subject of a deportation order; (7) the person has been prohibited from landing by order of the Minister under the Aliens Act; (8) the person is not in possession of a valid passport or other document which (a) establishes their nationality and identity to the Immigration Officer's satisfaction, (b) was issued by or on behalf of an authority recognised by the Government, and (c) does not purport to have been renewed otherwise than by or on behalf of such an authority.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:156 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons who have been granted asylum in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25298/98]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:157 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons refused asylum in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25299/98]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:164 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of asylum seekers; if this number has been categorised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25313/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 156, 157 and 164 together.
The information sought by the Deputy is in the form of the following tabular statements.
I am not entirely clear as to what the Deputy has in mind in his third question. If he is inquiring about nationalities of applicants, as I have stated previously, it has been general policy of successive Ministers not to disclose information on the nationality of asylum seekers or refugees. This is due to the general and understandable desire on the part of individual applicants to ensure that an application for recognition as a refugee is processed in confidence. As the number of applicants of some nationalities is small, it would be relatively easy in some instances to identify particular individuals if nationality statistics were provided. Such identification could have serious implications particularly if members of an applicant's family are still in the country of origin.
Table A
Asylum Seekers 1992-98
|
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 (31/10) |
|
|
Number of applications |
39 |
91 |
362 |
424 |
1,179 |
3,883 |
4,030 |
|
Number of applications withdrawn before decision |
3 |
52 |
222 |
219 |
547 |
1,174 |
262 |
|
Number of applications transferred under Dublin Convention |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
15 |
10 |
|
First Stage |
|||||||
|
Number recognised as refugees at first stage of determination |
7 |
9 |
34 |
90 |
163 |
46 |
7 |
|
Number refused at first stage of determination |
29 |
30 |
106 |
112 |
346 |
383 |
224 |
|
Found to be manifestly unfounded |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
11 |
36 |
35 |
|
of which — returned to first stage determination process following appeal of manifestly unfounded decision |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
|
of which — granted temporary leave to remain |
(7) |
(5) |
(66) |
(21) |
(36) |
(0) |
(0) |
|
Number of first instance applications outstanding |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
2 |
115 |
2,231 |
3,494 |
|
Appeal Stage |
|||||||
|
Number of cases appealed |
6 |
21 |
21 |
68 |
225 |
242 |
152 |
|
Number of manifestly unfounded |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
18 |
7 |
|
Total appealed |
6 |
21 |
21 |
69 |
229 |
260 |
159 |
|
Number of cases withdrawn before appeal |
2 |
3 |
6 |
8 |
10 |
5 |
5 |
|
Number of cases granted refugee status following appeal- |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
9 |
5 |
0 |
|
Number returned to first stage determination process |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
|
Number of cases refused following appeal |
3 |
16 |
14 |
45 |
80 |
8 |
1 |
|
Number of cases upheld as manifestly unfounded |
0 |
0 |
0 |
(1) |
(1) |
(7) |
0 |
|
of which — granted temporary leave to remain following appeal |
(2) |
(11) |
(1) |
(1) |
(1) |
(0) |
(0) |
|
Number of appeal cases outstanding |
0 |
1 |
0 |
11 |
126 |
233 |
151 |
|
— of which manifestly unfounded |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
(9) |
(5) |
|
Total number of cases on hands |
0 |
1 |
0 |
13 |
241 |
2,464 |
3,645 |
* It should be noted that these decisions relate to the year in which the applications were lodged and not the year in which decisions were taken.
Table B
Decisions taken in*
|
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 (31/10) |
|
|
Granted refugee status at first stage |
4 |
15 |
36 |
209 |
101 |
|
Granted refugee status at appeal stage |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
17 |
|
Refused status |
27 |
43 |
32 |
304 |
902 |
|
of which — granted temporary leave to remain at first instance |
(5) |
(8) |
(6) |
(120) |
(0) |
|
of which — where found to be manifestly infounded |
(0) |
(0) |
(0) |
(0) |
(83) |
|
of which — returned to first stage determination process following appeal of manifestly unfounded decision. |
(0) |
(0) |
(0) |
(0) |
(7) |
|
granted temporary leave to remain following appeal |
(0) |
(0) |
(0) |
(0) |
(21) |
|
Total |
31 |
58 |
68 |
517 |
1,020 |
* It should be noted that these decisions refer to the year in which the decisions were taken and NOT to the year in whiich the applications were lodged.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:158 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of non-nationals deported in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25300/98]
The number of non-nationals deported in the period 1 December 1997 to 26 November 1998 is 57.