Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Jun 2003

Vol. 569 No. 3

Written Answers. - Illegal Immigrants.

Ciarán Cuffe

Question:

379 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the numbers of non EU nationals who have been refused leave to land here in 2002 and in the first five months of 2003; and the number who have been detained prior to being removed from the State. [17590/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

The numbers of non-EU nationals who have been refused leave to land in the State in 2002 and in the first five months of 2003 are set out in the following table.

Year	Number refused leave to land
2002	4,417
2003 (1/1/03 to 31/05/03)	2,027

Figures are not readily available on the number of the persons who were detained in approved places of detention prior to removal from the State.