Section 9 of the Refugee Act, 1996, makes provision for fingerprint data to be gathered from asylum seekers over 14 years of age. This provision, which brings this country into line with other EU member states, was included by way of amendment to the Refugee Act, 1996, as part of the Immigration Act, 1999. Work is under way on the preparation of the necessary regulations and arrangements for the implemen tation of the Refugee Act, including the introduction of the fingerprinting provision. It is intended that the Act will be commenced in its entirety early in the New Year.
Also, the Government has agreed that Ireland should exercise the option, provided by Article 3 of the Fourth Protocol to the Treaty of Amsterdam, to notify the President of the Council of the European Union that it wishes to take part in the adoption and application of a Council regulation, EC, concerning the establishment of Eurodac, for the comparison of fingerprints of applicants for asylum and certain other non-nationals.
The purpose of fingerprinting is to detect and deter multiple asylum applications, both within the State and throughout Dublin convention countries, and to help identify the country responsible for processing the application under the Dublin convention.
The proposal must be approved by both Houses of the Oireachtas before Ireland can exercise its opt-in right under the Treaty of Amsterdam to join other member states in establishing a database for the comparison of fingerprints of applicants for asylum and certain other non-nationals. This motion will be moved in the Dáil and Seanad this week.
The statistical information on asylum determinations can be forwarded to Deputies.