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Deportation Orders Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 November 2012

Tuesday, 27 November 2012

Questions (540)

Joanna Tuffy

Question:

540. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding failed asylum seekers and persons illegally present in the State who have been served with a notification of intention to deport (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52967/12]

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Written answers

I can inform the Deputy that in the years 2008, 2009 2010, 2011 and 2012 (to end the October) a total of 3,185, 5,037, 4,326, 2,471 and 1,779 notifications of intention to deport were issued by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS). During the same period, 757, 1,077, 1034, 1334 and 1,234 deportation orders were signed and a total of 161, 338 343, 280 and 246 persons have been removed from the State together with 529, 539 461, 475 and 387 who have voluntarily returned to their country of origin. These figures do not include approximately 2,500 persons per annum who have been refused leave to land and are subsequently removed from the State.

As outlined in my response to PQ Numbers 962, 968 and 971 of 18th April last, a total of 1,052, 512, 232, 1957 and 951 were granted leave to remain in accordance with the provisions of the immigration acts. The increase in the figures in 2011 and in 2012 to date is mainly due to the impact of the Zambrano judgement which was delivered by the European Court of Justice on 8th March, 2011.

With regard to the numbers evading deportation, it is difficult to produce precise figures. Persons against whom a deportation order has issued may for short periods fail to report to their local immigration office but many subsequently do so. In addition, I am informed that a significant number of persons who are the subject of a Deportation Order will have left the jurisdiction.

The processing of cases at the repatriation stage is a complex one with obligations to adhere to both domestic and international law and to make decisions in accordance with the UN Convention on Human Rights. The process can be a lengthy one often punctuated with judicial reviews taken by the applicants at various stages including at deportation stage. Accordingly, not all cases fit neatly into particular categories. For example, in the case of families, one member of the family may have lodged a judicial review which in turn may mean that the remainder of the family may not be processed until its outcome is determined. In addition, some applicants may also be party to an application under EU Treaty Rights or through marriage to an Irish citizen or may have been granted leave to remain as a result of these applications. Therefore, it is not possible to provide figures in respect of the remainder of the case load without engaging in a very detailed exercise which could not be justified as it would divert resources from case processing.

Finally, I might add that I recently approved an initiative to put in place a panel with legal expertise who will assist INIS in processing a cohort of repatriation cases thus speeding up the overall process and reducing the time spent by persons in the direct provision system.

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