Vol. 536 No. 6
81 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the percentage of asylum applications where it is thought that the applicant entered the State in breach of aliens regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14940/01]
In accordance with section 9(2) of the Refugee Act, 1996, as amended, which was commenced in full by me on 20 November 2000 an immigration officer is obliged to give leave to enter the State to any person who arrives at the frontiers of the State seeking asylum. This requirement, which is in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the status of refugees, applies notwithstanding the fact that the person in question might not otherwise fulfil the necessary conditions for admission to the State due to inadequate documentation, insufficiency of funds etc. Consequently, all such persons enjoy a temporary entitlement to remain in the State until their asylum applications have been concluded and have thus entered the State legally.
The majority of applicants for asylum do not, however, apply at ports of entry. Inland applications are a feature of asylum systems throughout Europe. In 2001, approximately 67% of applicants to end April made their application at the office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner in Mount Street, Dublin. Precise statistics are not available on the percentage of those applicants who would have been granted permission to enter the State by an immigration officer for some other purpose prior to attending at the office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner. However, very few produce evidence of having obtained such permission. In any event, all such persons, upon making their application for asylum, thereafter enjoy a temporary entitlement to remain in the State by virtue of section 9 of the Refugee Act, 1996 until their applications have been finalised.
