Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 June 2013
200. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality how soon a person may return here after being ordered to voluntarily return to their native country, non-EU, due to the expiry of or non-existence of a visa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31271/13]
View answerI am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service that one of the options open to persons faced with the prospect of having a Deportation Order issued in respect of them is that they can seek to return voluntarily to their country of origin. If they return voluntarily before a Deportation Order is made and have no outstanding criminal court proceedings in Ireland, they may apply to re-enter Ireland for the purpose of work, study, etc. with the relevant visa any time in the future. A person who is the subject of a Deportation Order is legally obliged to leave the State and thereafter remain outside the State.
Persons who agree to return voluntarily to their countries of origin can obtain financial assistance towards doing so through the International Organisation for Migration, who normally pay the return air fare of such persons and can also assist the persons concerned re-integrate in their countries of origin by advising on training and employment opportunities etc. The Department of Justice and Equality also directly assists persons who wish to return voluntarily to their countries of origin by providing administrative and other supports to persons requesting such assistance.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
