Vol. 552 No. 1
586 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason passports were impounded by Garda authorities in a case (details supplied); when these passports will be returned; if he will give an assurance that there will not be a repeat of this action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12048/02]
The passports in question were retained because it appeared that they had been issued in Nigeria without the persons in question being present there at the time. They were referred to the Garda National Immigration Bureau for further inquiries and examination. The passports have now been returned by the Bureau to the Garda Registration Office in Ennis for return to the passport holders.
In view of the fact that document fraud is an ever increasing and internationally recognised immigration control problem, I am not in a position to give an undertaking of the type required by the Deputy.
