I propose to take Questions Nos. 707 and 710 together.
The Department and the Garda National Immigration Bureau are working closely together with a view to responding to the dramatic and unprecedented increase in the number of non-nationals seeking to register or renew their permission to remain at the immigration registration office at Harcourt Square. The number of persons per annum attending the office has increased from 12,803 in 1998 to 17,064 in 1999, 26,641 in 2000 and more than 47,000 in the first ten months of 2001. The number for the first 10 months of 2001 therefore represents a 76% increase in the number for the whole of 2000. I understand from the Garda authorities that it would not be possible to provide a monthly breakdown of these figures without a disproportionate diversion of staff resources from the core business of dealing with persons seeking to register. In this regard it should be noted that prior to 21 September 2001 the Garda registration system was entirely paper-based.