Vol. 552 No. 1
533 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position of non-EU citizens who wish to get an appointment with the Immigration Office; and his plans to reform the Irish aliens registration system. [11151/02]
I am pleased to say that difficulties in relation to delays experienced by non-EEA national customers at the Garda National Immigration Bureau's immigration registration office in Harcourt Square have been resolved. Following successful negotiations with relevant trade unions, a shift system has been introduced and since 19 March new extended opening hours have been in operation. The immigration registration office's new hours are between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday and between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday.
The net effect of the extended opening hours is that any person who presents at the office at any time on a given day has a guarantee that he or she will be dealt with and there is no necessity for persons to queue prior to opening time. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that, with a view to maintaining this level of service, the Office of Public Works has purchased new and far larger accommodation for the office, which will be ready for occupation later this year. It is intended that the new accommodation will provide a one stop shop for legally resident non-nationals in the Dublin area, as it will also accommodate the immigration and citizenship division of my Department, together with the visa office of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
