Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 January 2013
474. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason 2,260 persons were refused entry into the State at the Irish border in 2012; if he will provide a breakdown of nationalities refused and of the categories for this refusal of leave to land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2412/13]
View answerI am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the principle reasons persons are refused permission to land are as follows:
– that there is reason to believe that the person intends to enter the State for purposes other than those expressed by the non-national concerned;
– the person is not in possession of a valid Irish visa and is not exempt from this requirement;
– the person concerned is not in possession of a valid passport or other equivalent document; or
– the person concerned intends to travel (whether immediately or not) to the UK and would not qualify for admission had they come directly to the UK.
The principal nationalities of persons refused permission to land in the State and subsequently removed were Brazil, South Africa, China, Bolivia, and Albania.
The figure quoted by the Deputy is provisional and subject to change. For example, persons may be refused permission to land in the State and subsequently permitted to enter the State having made an application pursuant to the Immigration Acts or the Refugee Act,1996. In that regard the latest available statistics indicate that 2,239 persons were refused permission to land in the State last year taking into account those who were subsequently permitted to enter.
I might add that in all cases, removals from the State, whether in respect of those who are removed on arrival at ports of entry or those already in the State, are conducted in accordance with the law with removals at the Port of Entry being, essentially, an operational matter for the Garda National Immigration Bureau.
The removal of illegal immigrants from the State is a necessary feature of the enforcement of immigration legislation with the purpose of upholding the integrity of the immigration system. In enforcing the law in this respect, Ireland is no different from other countries who also remove individuals who have no lawful right to remain within their territory.
