Skip to main content
Normal View

Wednesday, 29 Jan 2014

Written Answers Nos. 147-153

Prison Committals

Questions (147)

Thomas Pringle

Question:

147. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a list of the detention institutions in the Irish Prison Service annual reports of 2011 and 2012 regarding committals in respect of immigration issues; the number of persons detained in each institution; and if he will provide a breakdown of the gender and age of persons held under immigration related issues. [4517/14]

View answer

Written answers

I can advise the Deputy that there was 395 and 385 persons committed to custody for immigration related issues in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

The number of persons detained in each institution is set out in a table.

Committal Prison

2011

2012

Castlerea Prison

3

7

Cloverhill Remand Prison

256

252

Cork Prison

30

22

Limerick Prison (Female)

5

7

Limerick Prison (Male)

4

4

Mountjoy Prison (Female)

96

87

Wheatfield Place of Detention

1

6

Total

395

385

A breakdown of the gender and age of persons held under immigration related issues is set out in a table.

Age

2011

2011

-

2012

2012

-

Age Group

Female

Male

Total

Female

Male

Total

18 to < 21

4

18

22

6

24

30

21 to < 25

14

52

66

10

32

42

25 to < 30

31

73

104

18

88

106

30 to < 40

33

100

133

32

98

130

40 to < 50

11

42

53

19

38

57

50 to < 55

2

5

7

4

8

12

55 to < 60

5

2

7

2

2

4

60 to < 65

1

1

2

3

1

4

65 to < 70

0

1

1

0

0

0

Total

101

294

395

94

291

385

Asylum Applications

Questions (148)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

148. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4518/14]

View answer

Written answers

The question of residency status does not arise at this time in the case of the person whose details were supplied. As the Deputy is aware, if the person concerned has made an application for asylum or subsidiary protection, the position is that it is not the practice to comment on such applications for so long as they are in the protection process.

Prison Committals

Questions (149)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

149. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on correspondence regarding prison sentences (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4519/14]

View answer

Written answers

It has generally been the policy where possible and appropriate to ensure that prisoners are located as close to their home as possible to facilitate visits from family and friends. However, this is not always possible for operational and security reasons. It is worth noting that maintaining family relationships can help to prevent prisoners re-offending and assist them to resettle successfully into their community. In this regard too, international research has found that prisoners who maintain good family contact are more likely to have employment and housing options on leaving prison and are less likely to re-offend.

Naturalisation Applications

Questions (150)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

150. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the average waiting time to process a naturalisation application; the measures being taken to reduce the waiting time; the average cost of each naturalisation process; and the cost to the State for each month an applicant has to wait. [4536/14]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy will appreciate, as well as being a significant event in the life of its recipient, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is also a major step for the State as it confers certain rights and entitlements, not only within the State, but also at European Union level. It is therefore vital that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process. All applications are processed with a view to establishing whether the applicants meet the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation, such as good character and lawful residence, and are submitted to me for decision as expeditiously as possible. In some instances that can be established relatively quickly and in other cases completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.

When I came into office in March 2011 one of my immediate priorities was to address the unconscionably large backlog of applications for naturalisation awaiting decision that had built up over several years. At that time there were approximately 22,000 applications awaiting decision, many of which had been waiting for three years or longer.

Since then I have decided on some 68,000 applications, notwithstanding a significant increase of almost 60% in the volume of valid applications received - from 12,500 in 2010 to nearly 20,000 in 2013. In the past year I have decided over 30,000 applications and issued certificates of naturalisation to some 28,000 applicants. Quite clearly, this has also resulted in a huge reduction in processing times, with over 70% of standard applications now being decided within six months. I think the Deputy will agree that this represents a major turnaround, especially given the 115% increase in valid application levels since 2008, when processing times were more than four times longer. It is my intention that we will continue to build on this success in 2014 and to further reduce the time taken to reach a decision for most applications.

The new arrangements I have put in place since my appointment include improved application forms that are currently available on-line together with streamlined and accelerated procedures for certain types of application. I have also requested that my officials ensure that all the procedures involved in processing an application are reviewed regularly to ensure that they are conducted as efficiently as possible.

The costs paid by applicants on the issue of a certificate of naturalisation were last increased by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Fees) Regulations 2008, which came into effect on 1st August 2008. The standard certification fee is €950 while a reduced fee of €200 applies in the case of an application made on behalf of a minor or in certain circumstances when the application is made by a widow, widower or surviving civil partner of an Irish citizen. In the case of refugees and stateless persons no certification fee is charged. A new application fee of €175 was introduced in November 2011. This fee contributes towards the costs of processing those applications that do not attract any certification fee and helps to reduce the proportion of invalid and ineligible applications being lodged. The fees are designed to reflect the effort and cost involved in processing applications for a certificate of naturalisation and there are no additional costs to the State relating to the length of time taken to process each application.

As the Deputy will be aware, I have introduced formal citizenship ceremonies at no extra cost to applicants. These have been universally well received by participants as the ceremonies provide a sense of occasion that serves to underscore the importance to both the State and the applicant of the granting of Irish citizenship.

Citizenship Applications

Questions (151, 152)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

151. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when a decision on citizenship will be made on an application in respect of persons (details supplied) in Dublin 22. [4537/14]

View answer

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

152. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a family of two adults and three children (details supplied) in Dublin 22 has lived in a hostel for seven years awaiting a decision on a citizenship application. [4538/14]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 152 together.

Officials in the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department inform me that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the persons referred to in the Deputy's question. If the persons concerned have made applications for asylum or subsidiary protection, the position is that it is not the practice to comment on such applications for so long as they are in the protection process.

As the family's accommodation arrangements are the subject of a separate parliamentary question from the Deputy, that matter is not dealt with in this response.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to 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 INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.

Asylum Seeker Accommodation

Questions (153)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

153. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration will be given to moving a family (details supplied) in Dublin 22 from a one-room hostel accommodation to Watergate Apartments where they will have more space and will be able to cook their own meals. [4539/14]

View answer

Written answers

The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. Direct provision provides for full board accommodation supports while a final decision is awaited by a person on their asylum and related applications.

The family referred to in the details supplied comprise a father, mother and three small children. The father only presented for direct provision accommodation in December, 2013 to join his wife and children who had been accommodated there for some time previously and his request was granted. To date, no transfer request has been received by RIA in respect of this family.

If the family wish to be accommodated at an alternative accommodation centre, they should apply in writing to the Reception and Integration Agency at PO Box 11487, Dublin 2. In relation to Watergate House accommodation centre, this is a self-catering facility which is designated for cases where there is an exceptional need: for example, serious medical concerns. There is no suitable accommodation for this size of family at Watergate House at present and no documentation has been provided to support an exceptional need in this instance.

If the family choose to apply for a transfer from Clondalkin accommodation centre, RIA will look at alternative accommodation options around the country for the family and respond directly to the family.

Top
Share