From the commencement of the Immigration Act 1999 in November of that year to 30 April 2004, approximately 2,070 notices under section 3(3)(a) of that Act of an intention to deport issued in respect of citizens of the ten states which joined the EU on 1 May 2004. As of 30 April 2004, 1,030 deportation orders had issued from my Department to nationals of these states.
The making and issuing of deportation orders in respect of these nationalities ceased on 1 May 2004, where the persons concerned are exercising their EU treaty rights for the purposes of employment or establishing a business in the State. Persons from these states who were served with a deportation order before 1 May 2004 may apply to the Minister to have their orders revoked. Each application will be considered on its merits, having regard to the reasons for making the orders in the first place.
To date, 483 persons from these states who had been served with notifications of intention to deport and where a decision had not been reached by 1 May 2004 have been notified that they no longer require permission to remain in the State, if they fulfil EU treaty rights requirements. These notices were posted to their last known address, but up to 90% of the letters have been returned undelivered. It is not known how many citizens of these or any other EU member states are currently resident in Ireland as they do not require visas or work permits to enter the country.
