Vol. 552 No. 3
162 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the current status of the asylum application by a person (details supplied); when his Department will make a decision in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12290/02]
I refer the Deputy to my replies to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 480 of 7 March 2002 and 606 of 20 March 2002. The person in question has made two separate applications – the first is an application for refugee status and the second is an application for permission to remain in the State on the basis that he is residing here with his Irish citizen wife. Applications for refugee status are dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the Refugee Act, 1996. Under that Act, two independent statutory offices were established to consider applications-appeals for refugee status and make recommendations to the Minister on whether such status should be granted.
These two offices are the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, which considers applications for a declaration as a refugee at first instance and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal which considers applications for a declaration in the event of an appeal.
I will make a decision on the application for refugee status in accordance with section 17 of the Act when I receive the recommendation of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, or, in the event of an appeal, of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal.
My Department has recently communicated with the applicant in relation to his application for permission to remain.
