Written Answers Nos. 401 - 420
401. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if progress has been made regarding the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the timeframe for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28043/14]
View answerI refer the Deputy to the response given by my colleague, Minister of State Kathleen Lynch on 27 February 2014, in which she informed the House that the Government intends to proceed to ratification of the Convention as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to ensure all necessary legislative and administrative requirements under the Convention are met. As the Deputy may be aware, Ireland does not become party to treaties until it is first in a position to comply with the obligations imposed by them, including the amendment of domestic law as necessary.
An interdepartmental committee on the Convention is reviewing the remaining legislative and administrative actions required to enable ratification. As part of its work programme, the committee has identified issues to be considered by various Departments and examination of these issues is ongoing. At the request of the committee, the National Disability Authority, the lead statutory agency for the sector, has also assisted in assessing remaining requirements for ratification to ensure that all outstanding issues will be comprehensively addressed.
For my Department, one of the key requirements is the enactment of capacity legislation. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce a Bill in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill, published on 17 July 2013, provides a series of options to support people with impaired capacity to make decisions and exercise their basic rights in line with the principles of the UN Convention. It undertakes a comprehensive reform of existing legislation governing capacity. The Bill will go to Committee Stage shortly. The enactment of this legislation is one of the core elements of the remaining work to be completed to enable ratification by the State of the UN Convention.
402. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will change the period for Garda clearance from one to two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28058/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that there is no arrangement in place whereby vetting reports are valid for fixed periods of time. The primary consideration in any vetting process is to ensuring the safety of children and vulnerable adults and as such vetting processes demand rigorous procedures to ensure their integrity and to maintain the highest level of confidence by the public and organisations availing of the service. To that end full vetting checks are conducted by the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) for each new vetting application received to ensure that the most recent data available is taken into account. This is because once there has been any significant lapse of time between one employment and another, the original Garda Vetting Disclosure would not include information regarding any recent criminal convictions, and the second employer could not safely rely on it.
Furthermore, under the Data Protection Acts, any sensitive personal data which employers use in regard to their employees must be current, accurate and up-to-date and employers would be exposed to civil liability if they knowingly recruited staff based on out-of-date criminal records information where the person in fact had a more recent criminal conviction. Effectively, the non-transferability and contemporaneous nature of the current process protects against the risk of fraud or forgery and is a guarantee of the integrity of the vetting service and such procedures are in line with best practice internationally.
There are, however, certain limited circumstances where organisations can share a single vetting disclosure where this is agreed to by the vetting applicant. For example, persons involved in voluntary work may be doing work with more than one voluntary organisation at the same time, and may agree with the vetting applicant to share a single vetting disclosure. Similar arrangements arise in the health sector in regard to persons working as locums, agency nurses or other temporary employees in a number of different organisations, or in the education sector where substitute teachers are on panels for substitute teaching in more than one school.
Finally, the current average processing time for vetting applications is four weeks.
403. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the process by which civilians will be recruited to the new independent Garda authority; if she will provide a provisional timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28104/14]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware the Government has indicated that an Independent Garda Authority will be established by the end of the year.
The measures to be put in place in respect of the new Authority are complex and it is not possible at this stage to indicate the specific staffing arrangements that will be made. However, I can assure the Deputy that the overall project is a major priority for my Department.
404. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding an application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal. [28105/14]
View answerThe person referred to made an application on 4 May, 2014 which is currently being considered in line with standard procedures. When consideration is complete, I will make a decision and the person concerned will be informed in due course.
405. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the target processing times for applications for asylum; the number of staff tasked with processing applications and the performance against those target processing times. [28107/14]
View answer407. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the plan in place to expedite the processing of applications for asylum in view of the clear negative impact of long-term stays on residents in direct provision centres. [28110/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 405 and 407 together.
The Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) is the statutory independent body charged with processing asylum applications at first instance. I am informed by the Commissioner that, in general, the target time for processing asylum applications is 9 to 10 weeks.
The Refugee Applications Commissioner is statutory independent in the exercise of his functions. The Commissioner has advised that it is the policy of the office to ensure that applications for refugee status are processed as speedily as possible in the context of the available staffing resources and other priorities within the Office. Accordingly, the number of staff available for processing can vary and is augmented from time to time by staff from other units as resource redeployment permits. There is also a network of support staff who carry out a variety of application processing related functions such as taking applications for asylum, scheduling interviews, arranging interpretation and translation, issuing recommendations, dealing with Judicial Reviews, processing of Dublin Regulation cases and so forth. These staff also perform similar functions for other areas of the work in ORAC, including Subsidiary Protection, and accordingly, it is not possible to separate out the time spent on asylum cases exclusively. The overall resources of the office are kept under review taking into account the demand led nature of the work of the Office.
The median processing time for asylum applications in 2014 (to end April) is 12.1 weeks. Various strategies are being advanced to manage processing times in ORAC including the scheduling of some Saturday interviews.
The median processing time to a final decision by the Minister on an asylum application in 2013 to include the appeals process in the Refugee Appeals Tribunal (RAT) was 36 weeks. Some cases can take significantly longer to complete due to, for example, delays arising from medical issues or because of judicial review proceedings. All asylum applications and appeals are processed in accordance with the Refugee Act 1996 and other relevant statutory provisions. High quality and fair decision-making in all cases continues to be a key priority at all stages of the asylum process.
Persons who are refused refugee status are notified of their entitlement to apply for subsidiary protection. This is separate to the asylum or refugee status determination process. This is invariably followed by the so-called leave to remain process. Each of these processes which determine whether an applicant can remain in the State are hugely complex and subject to oversight by the courts and have to be examined in accordance with a large body of Irish and international law. There are no shortcuts as the outcomes can lead to the most fundamental life-changing event for the applicants.
Measures have recently been taken with a view to delivering improvements in the processing of protection applications. The Deputy may be aware that the European Union (Subsidiary Protection) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 426 of 2013) were signed into law by my predecessor last November. Under the new Regulations, responsibility for the processing of applications for subsidiary protection was transferred from my Department to the ORAC with appeals to be dealt with by the RAT. Both of these bodies are independent in the exercise of their statutory functions and they have substantial experience in the area of asylum investigations and appeals, respectively. Additional resources have been allocated to the establishment and operation of the new arrangements for the processing of these cases which include the engagement of a panel of legally qualified persons to process cases, personal interviews for each applicant at the first instance and the opportunity for an applicant to appeal a negative recommendation of the ORAC to the RAT. The ORAC, in consultation with the UNHCR, have recently published on its website details of how it will prioritise the process of scheduling persons for interview taking into account, inter alia, dealing with applicants who are longest in the system first. The intention is to process as many of these cases to finality, to include consideration of any leave to remain aspects arising, in the shortest possible timeframe consistent with quality and fair assessment of all cases and of course, subject to the cooperation of applicants and no further legal impediments arising.
The Government remains committed to legislative reform in this area as provided for under the Programme for Government and under the Government Legislation Programme. My immediate priority is that the factors which lead to delays in the processing of cases are dealt with. In this regard, legislative reform aimed at establishing a single application procedure for the investigation of all grounds for protection is a key priority for this Government. Such reform would substantially simplify and streamline the existing arrangements by removing the current multi-layered and sequential processes and provide applicants with a final decision on their application in a more straightforward and timely fashion. In consultation with my officials, I am reviewing the work done to date in respect of the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill and will then decide on how best to progress the implementation of the Government's priorities, in particular to expedite those relating to the establishment of a single application procedure.
406. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a breakdown of the number of persons since 2000 who have been and are currently in direct provision centres; the number of applications for asylum processed each year to date; and if she will provide a breakdown, by number of years, of the time spent by residents in direct provision centres before their applications are processed. [28108/14]
View answer422. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons in the direct provision system for less than six months; between six and 12 months; in excess of one, two, three, four, five, six and seven years, respectively; the corresponding figures for children; the specific steps being taken to address the delays in processing immigration applications involving persons in direct provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28179/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 406 and 422 together.
The direct provision system is managed by the Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, of my Department. Its function is to provide accommodation and related services to those who have sought international protection and who have no means of supporting themselves otherwise. More than 53,000 such persons have availed of RIA's services to date.
As at 8 June 2014, there were 4,353 persons availing of direct provision accommodation and supports in 34 accommodation centres across 16 counties. The numbers of asylum seekers residing in direct provision has reduced significantly since the end of December 2008, since when the number of persons being accommodated by RIA had declined by 38%.
Details as to the length of time spent by residents in the direct provision system as at the end of December, 2013 are shown on the 2013 RIA Annual Report published on its website - www.ria.gov.ie. This shows that by the end of 2013, 68.2 % of RIA residents had first claimed international protection in Ireland three or more years previously.
In essence, RIA accommodates all those who make a claim for international protection and who seek accommodation until such time as they leave voluntarily; are removed - either by way of deportation or Dublin II transfer; are granted refugee status or subsidiary protection; or are granted leave to remain, either through the process set out in the Immigration Act, 1999 or are granted permission to remain in the State on some other basis. There is therefore no immediate year on year connection between the numbers residing in direct provision accommodation centres and the number of asylum applications processed. Nonetheless, details of the yearly processing of asylum claims by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner are available on its Annual Reports published on its website - www.orac.ie.
The median processing time to a final decision on an asylum application in 2013 was 36 weeks. Some cases can take significantly longer to complete due to, for example, delays arising from medical issues or because of judicial review proceedings. All asylum applications and appeals are processed in accordance with the Refugee Act 1996 and other relevant statutory provisions. High quality and fair decision-making in all cases continues to be a key priority at all stages of the asylum process.
Persons who are refused refugee status are notified of their entitlement to apply for subsidiary protection. This is separate to the asylum or refugee status determination process. This is invariably followed by the so-called leave to remain process. Each of these processes which determine whether an applicant can remain in the State are hugely complex and subject to oversight by the courts and have to be examined in accordance with a large body of Irish and international law. There are no shortcuts as the outcomes can lead to the most fundamental life-changing event for the applicants.
As the Deputy may be aware my predecessor made new regulations last year governing the investigation and determination of applications for subsidiary protection in the State. The European Union (Subsidiary Protection) Regulations 2013, which came into effect on 14 November 2013, were made to address certain matters which arose from the judgment of the High Court in January 2013 in the MM case.
Under the new Regulations, responsibility for the processing of applications for subsidiary protection was transferred from my Department to the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner with appeals to be dealt with by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Both of these bodies are independent in the exercise of their statutory functions and they have substantial experience in the area of asylum investigations and appeals, respectively. My aim is for applications currently on hand to be processed to finality by the statutory bodies concerned in the shortest possible timeframe consistent with quality and fair assessment of all cases and of course, subject to the cooperation of applicants and no further legal impediments arising.
More generally, I acknowledge that the length of time that residents spend in Direct Provision is an issue to be addressed. My immediate priority is that the factors which lead to delays in the processing of cases are dealt with. In this regard, legislative reform aimed at establishing a single application procedure for the investigation of all grounds for protection is a key priority for this Government. Such reform would substantially simplify and streamline the existing arrangements by removing the current multi-layered and sequential processes and provide applicants with a final decision on their application in a more straightforward and timely fashion. In consultation with my officials, I am reviewing the work done to date in respect of the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill and will then decide on how best to progress the implementation of the Government's priorities, in particular to expedite those relating to the establishment of a single application procedure.
409. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the total cost of the direct provision service nationally; and the annual cost of contracts with private providers in accommodating residents, broken down per adult and child. [28114/14]
View answerThe Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of protection applicants 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 protection or any related leave to remain application.
As at 8 June 2014, there were 4,353 persons availing of direct provision accommodation and supports in 34 accommodation centres across 16 counties. The expenditure outturn for the accommodation costs incurred by RIA in the last five years is as follows:
|
Year |
Outturn |
|
2013 |
€55.2m |
|
2012 |
€62.3m |
|
2011 |
€69.5m |
|
2010 |
€79m |
|
2009 |
€86.5m |
The 2014 Estimate Provision for RIA is €51.9 million. More detailed information on the breakdown of costs associated with the Direct Provision system can be found in RIA Annual Reports on its website - www.ria.gov.ie. For example, the 2013 RIA Annual Report shows that RIA paid €45.735m to private contractors in respect of commercially owned centres and €6.901m to private contractors in respect of the management of State-owned centres.
Of the 34 centres currently under contract to RIA, 7 are State owned i.e. the land and buildings are owned by the State. Whilst all centres are managed by private companies under contract to RIA, the rates paid by RIA takes into account the differing costs undertaken directly by these companies, depending on whether it is a State owned or privately owned centre. A key element of these contracts is the rates paid by RIA on a per person per day (PPPD) basis. This rate does not distinguish between adults and children.
As has been stated in answers to previous Dáíl Questions, details of current contract rates are not provided. The policy is that the updating of the table of contracts will take place only at the end of January each year in respect of all financial information up to the end of December two years previously, e.g. at the end of January, 2013 the records are updated to end of December 2010. This policy has been upheld by the Office of the Information Commissioner.
Nonetheless, it is possible to give a general indication of the rates currently paid. As mentioned above, these rates are on a per person per day (PPPD) basis. Currently, the average PPPD rate for direct provision centres is €29.49 while the same contract rate for State-owned centres averages at €15.50.
The two PPPD rates cited above are not directly comparable. The direct provision rate is a single all-inclusive figure which includes, inter alia, energy, maintenance, transport and VAT costs. By contrast, the State-owned rate does not include any of these costs, which are borne directly by the State and not by the contracted management company.
It should be noted that the direct provision system is only one element of the State’s response to its international obligations on the asylum issue. The system is based on the principle of mainstream service provision so that residents receive the same health and community welfare supports as the general population. As regards education, children of asylum seekers are linked to local mainstream primary and post-primary schools as well as ECCE pre-school placements in a like manner to the general population. As well as these educational, health and welfare costs, there is the asylum determination system itself, as well as the downstream judicial and policing costs. All countries which take their responsibilities in this area seriously are faced with similar calls on their financial resources. For example, it was estimated that in the period 2005 to 2009 inclusive, the total amount spent across the whole of Government on asylum seekers was €1,275.31 million, of which €424.43 million was spent on the direct provision system.
410. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the plans in place to improve access to higher education and training for young persons in direct provision centres. [28115/14]
View answerThe Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum / protection applicants in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. As at 8 June 2014, there were 4,353 persons availing of direct provision accommodation and supports in 34 accommodation centres across 16 counties.
Policy in relation to access to higher education and training in relation to all cohorts of persons, including asylum seekers, is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills. In relation to this question his Department has advised my Department of the following.
Under the terms of the Department of Education and Skill’s Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The nationality/immigration status requirements for the student grant scheme are set out in section 14 of the Student Support Act, 2011 and regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations 2014.
While persons with refugee status meet the nationality/immigration status requirement of the scheme, persons who are in the asylum process and are awaiting decisions in relation to their applications for refugee status are ineligible under the nationality requirement.
Article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme 2014 provides for the review of eligibility for the award of grant assistance in the event of changes of circumstances in the academic year, including a change in relation to a student's nationality or immigration status. This means that where a person in the asylum process is declared a refugee during the course of their studies, he/she may apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) to have his/her application re-assessed. Any award the applicant may be eligible for as a result of a change in their immigration status will take effect from the date on which the change occurs.
Under the terms of the Department of Education and Skills Free Fees Schemes students must hold, inter alia, EU/EEA/Swiss nationality in their own right, and have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course. Persons with official refugee status in the state may also meet the nationality clause of the schemes. Persons in the asylum process are not entitled to free fees. However, time spent from date of official lodgement of application papers for refugee status will be included for the purpose of meeting the three year residency requirement.Persons in the asylum process who are declared a refugee during the course of their studies may be entitled to free tuition fees for the remainder of their course of study as follows:
- Students who acquire refugee status up to 31 January in an academic year may be entitled to free tuition from the second half of the academic year.
- Students who acquire refugee status from 1 February may be entitled to free tuition fees from the commencement of the next academic year.
The Department of Education and Skills has advised that there are no plans at present to extend the scope of the Student Grant Scheme or the Free Fee Schemes to provide for young persons in the asylum process and in direct provision centres.
411. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the action that has been taken to address the increasing numbers of residents in the direct provision system who are presenting with mental health issues due to stress. [28116/14]
View answerThe direct provision system is managed by the Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, of my Department. Its function is to provide accommodation and related services to those who have sought international protection and who have no means of supporting themselves otherwise. As at 8 June 2014, there were 4,353 persons availing of direct provision accommodation and supports in 34 accommodation centres across 16 counties.
Asylum seekers are entitled to the same public health services, including mental health services, as Irish citizens. In addition, asylum seekers in direct provision centres qualify for a medical card which allows them access a range of health services free of charge.
Asylum seekers in direct provision first link in with health services when they are temporarily accommodated in a reception centre in Dublin after they first claim international protection. In the reception centre, they are offered medical screening and are linked in with Community Welfare services. Access is also provided to GP's, Public Health Nurses and psychological services. After a period of approximately two weeks, those asylum seekers are scheduled for dispersal to accommodation centres throughout the country, subject to clearance by the HSE Health Centre in the reception centre. If there are particular health concerns, a person may be retained for a period at the reception centre or may be dispersed to specified accommodation centres with access to particular health services. Even after dispersal, further health needs may present. Such cases are reviewed by RIA's internal administrative health unit in conjunction with the local health services to see if any administrative arrangements, transfers etc., can be put in place. RIA has access to an independent medical referee to assist in the assessment of particular health needs.
As I have stated elsewhere, I acknowledge that the length of time that residents spend in Direct Provision is an issue to be addressed. My immediate priority is that the factors which lead to delays in the processing of cases are dealt with so that protection seekers spend as little time as necessary in direct provision.
A key priority for this Government is legislative reform aimed at establishing a single application procedure for the investigation of all grounds for protection and any other grounds presented by applicants seeking to remain in the State. Such reform would substantially simplify and streamline the existing arrangements by removing the current multi-layered and sequential processes and provide applicants with a final decision on their application in a more straightforward and timely fashion. In consultation with my officials, I am reviewing the work done to date in respect of the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill and will then decide on how best to progress the implementation of the Government's priorities, in particular to expedite those relating to the establishment of a single application procedure.
412. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason no elected members of local government were invited to the consultation seminar on justice reform recently held in Farmleigh; if her attention has been drawn to the important role councillors play in justice matters through the joint policing committee system; and if her attention has been drawn to the role of local government in other countries in local justice systems; if she will ensure local authority members are consulted for their views; if she will provide a list of those who were invited to the seminar; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28135/14]
View answerThe Consultation Seminar on Justice Reform at Farmleigh followed on from the public consultation process undertaken by the Government in May in relation to the establishment of an Independent Policing Authority. In that context many of the participants comprised persons or representatives of organisations from whom submissions were received during the consultation process.
In the course of making preparations for the seminar consideration was given to inviting representatives from local authorities but, given the limited space available, it was not practicable to do this. At best it would only have been possible to accommodate a very restricted number of representatives and many local authorities would have been involved.
I very much appreciate the contribution made by local authority members in the field of policing throughout the country. In particular I am fully aware of the positive response that the Joint Policing Committees engender in local communities and the very important and valuable work of elected local representatives on these Committees. A review of the operation of the Committees is currently under way in line with the Programme for Government.
While I understand the concerns the Deputy has indicated in his Question I can assure him that I will be happy to consider any submission he or any other member of a local authority may make to me in relation to the matters dealt with at the seminar or any related issues.
413. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide in tabular form the number of Irish visas applied for by Chinese nationals in 2013 through the Beijing visa office and the Shanghai consulate and all other offices in 2013; the number of refusals arising from these applications; the reason for these refusals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28145/14]
View answerAround 10,300 applications by Chinese nationals for Irish short-stay and long-stay visas were received worldwide in 2013. Of these, 79% of applications were made in China, the vast majority of which were decided on in the Visa Office in Beijing, 12% in the UK and 9% throughout the rest of the world. Of applications by Chinese nationals decided in 2013, around 9,800 were granted and about 530 were refused. This represents a very high grant rate of about 95% which compares very favourably internationally.
Visa applications can be refused for a number of reasons. Essentially, the reasons for the refusal for any visa is that the person concerned failed to meet that criteria for the particular visa applied for. The criteria would vary depending on the type of visa sought. The visa applicant is informed of the reasons for refusal and has the opportunity to appeal the decision within two months of the decision being issued.
414. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the policy and procedure in place when considering applications for visas by Chinese nationals; if she will outline those policies and procedures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28146/14]
View answer415. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to any complaints made against Irish officials in their handling of applications from Chinese officials; the quality checks made on officials dealing with these applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28147/14]
View answer416. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will ensure that the procedures by which Chinese nationals apply for visas are as user-friendly as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28148/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 414 to 416, inclusive, together.
Visa applications for Chinese nationals living in China are handled by the dedicated Irish Visa Office in Beijing, which is a sub-office of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department. This office handles all aspects of visa applications, including appeals, locally.
Over 50% of visit visas worldwide, which includes tourist visas and applications lodged in China, are processed within 4 days. The remainder are for the most part processed within one week with a small amount of more complex cases taking up to 15 days. This time frame is of course dependent on all the required documentation being provided with no queries remaining outstanding.
As a result of a number of initiatives which my Department has introduced, the number of short stay visas (including visas for tourism purposes) granted to Chinese nationals has grown steadily from just over 7,300 in 2011 to over 8,100 in 2013, an 11% increase. The approval rate for visa applications from China is 92% which compares very favourably internationally. The grant rate for Chinese nationals overall i.e. including applications made outside China is even higher at 95%.
These initiatives offer Chinese nationals who wish to travel to Ireland as tourists with a number of options. For example, the Irish Short-stay Visa Waiver Programme, introduced with effect from 1 July 2011, has proved to be very successful in facilitating Chinese nationals who wish to visit Ireland. The Programme applies to holders of UK short stay visas from eighteen selected countries, including China, and allows visitors, who are in possession of a UK visa, to travel on to Ireland without the need to apply for a separate Irish visa. The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, in their latest report on the impact of the Programme estimate that there has been an additional 12,700 visits to Ireland by Chinese nationals, between July 2011 and October 2013, as a direct result of the Programme i.e. in addition to the growth in those visiting the State using Irish visas.
Chinese nationals can also apply for a visa as part of an Approved Destination Scheme (ADS) Group Tour, for an individual tourist visa or for a visit visa which is normally used for visiting family members. Several measures have been introduced in the last number of years to encourage this type of tourist to Ireland resulting in an ADS visa being now one of the most straightforward and quickest Irish visas to obtain with processing times being less than five working days normally. In recognition of the growing number of affluent and independent tourists from China, a scheme to enable independent Chinese travellers to come to Ireland was introduced in November 2011. This category of visa application is processed within 10 working days. All processing times are, of course, dependent on the required supporting documentation being provided by the applicant. To help with this, application guidelines for all visa categories are published on the Irish Embassy website in English and Chinese.
The Government has also taken other steps to make the visa process easier, including, with effect from 1 August, 2012, a more liberal multi-entry visa regime for Chinese business travellers and regular family visitors. This regime compares favourably with the approach taken by our nearest competitors. For example, it allows for a multi-entry visa for 3 years for €100 for qualifying travellers which compares with the $180 charged by the USA for the same duration. In addition, agreed programmes aimed at short stays for the purpose of learning English in Irish colleges, with accelerated processing of applications and reduced formalities, have been introduced.
Whilst I am satisfied that Ireland compares favourably with international competitors regarding processing times and approval rates for visas from China, I continue to seek, with my officials in INIS, ways in which the visa regime may be enhanced in order to encourage and facilitate tourism to Ireland, especially from emerging markets such as China. In this regard, the Deputy will be aware of my recent announcement of the launch of a joint visa initiative between the UK and Ireland, the "British Irish Visa Scheme" which will, from the autumn of this year, allow tourist and business visitors from China to travel to and around the Common Travel Area between Ireland and the UK on the basis of a single visa.
This initiative represents a major evolution of the Common Travel Area arrangement and an historic breakthrough in developing the CTA to its natural conclusion where visas issued by either country will be mutually recognised. While making travel to the CTA easier for Chinese citizens, the scheme will bring benefits for the entire island of Ireland as, for the first time, visa required visitors to Ireland and the UK will be able to move freely between North and South using a single visa. By removing the need for Chinese visitors travelling to the UK and Ireland to obtain separate visas the number of visitors from there to the island of Ireland is expected to increase very significantly.
In relation to the arrangements for visa applications by holders of public affairs, or "official", passports, all such applications are processed by the Beijing Visa Office through a special arrangement with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The Beijing office has an excellent working relationship with the Ministry and applications received from there are prioritised and expedited. In addition, the normal requirements for supporting documentation are significantly reduced. As an example, in preparation for a recent high level visit to Ireland from China, 83 applications were processed within 24 hours.
No complaint of the type referred to by the Deputy has been made against officials of my Department - either based here or in China. Officials assigned to consular offices abroad are selected from the staff of my Department following a competitive interview process and do not only handle visa processing but are also involved with important promotional activities for Irish tourism and business in China. A number of visiting Government Ministers have specifically praised their role in such activities. The staff also develop and implement necessary risk profiling and document verification skills locally.
417. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will request the acting Garda Commissioner to ensure additional Garda personnel are deployed to an area (details supplied) in Dublin 13; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28149/14]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continuing review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of these resources.
The Donaghmede area is policed by Coolock Garda Station which forms part of the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) North Division. The personnel strength of the DMR North Division as at 30th April 2014, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 702 of which 112 serve in Coolock Garda Station. There are also 63 Garda Reserves and 44 Civilians attached to the DMR North Division of which 8 Garda Reserves and 11 civilians are attached to Coolock Garda Station. The area receives additional patrols from personnel attached to the District Detective Unit, Divisional Task Force, Divisional Traffic Unit and the Community Policing Unit.
I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that local Garda Management are aware of a forthcoming event on the 19th and 20th of July. The Commissioner advises that community Gardaí attached to Coolock Garda Station have been actively involved to ensure appropriate policing measures are put in place for the Festival and a number of Gardaí will be present for the duration of the event.
418. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide the necessary funding to provide additional marked cars for the Garda armed support unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28150/14]
View answerDecisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda vehicles are a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the light of her identified policing needs. In that context, I am informed by the Garda authorities that sufficient vehicles are available to the Garda Armed Response Unit to meet operational requirements.
420. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of asylum applicants awaiting a decision at first instance and on appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28177/14]
View answerAs at 31 May 2014, the number of asylum applicants awaiting a decision at first instance in the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) was 358, whereas some 828 cases are currently awaiting a decision at appeal stage in the Refugee Appeals Tribunal (RAT).
