Written Answers Nos. 113-120
113. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current and/or expected residency status eligibility in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45691/14]
View answerThe question of residency status does not arise at this time in the case of the person whose details were supplied. If the person concerned has made an application for asylum or subsidiary protection, the Deputy will be aware that it is not the practice to comment on such applications for so long as they remain in the protection process.
114. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which recognition is provided to the extent of residency here during which they paid their income tax and PRSI over a seven year period; if this may be taken into account in the determination of an application to regularise their residency in the case of persons (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45692/14]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the persons concerned, having no valid basis to remain in the State, were, by separate letters dated 20th November, 2014, notified of the proposal to make deportation orders in respect of them. These communications advised the persons concerned of the options open to them as a result which were to leave the State voluntarily, to consent to the making of a Deportation Order or to submit, within a period of 15 working days, written representations setting out reasons as to why they should not have deportation orders made in respect of them.
The Deputy can be assured that any written representations submitted will be fully considered in advance of final decisions being made in the context of the cases of the persons concerned. Additionally, in the event that the persons concerned have been paying taxes in this State then this should be reflected in their written representations, backed up by documentary evidence.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department 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.
115. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current and/or expected residency status in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45693/14]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to is the subject of a Deportation Order and therefore has no entitlement to residency in the State.
The person concerned has been evading deportation since 21st February, 2012 and, as such, is liable to arrest and detention for the purposes of having the Deportation Order enforced. The person concerned should, therefore, 'present' to the Garda National Immigration Bureau without further delay.
The effect of the Deportation Order is that the person concerned must leave the State and remain thereafter outside the State. The enforcement of the Deportation Order is an operational matter for the Garda National Immigration Bureau.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS by Email 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.
116. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the current position in regard to the determination of residency/eligibility to apply for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45694/14]
View answerThe question of residency status or eligibility for naturalisation does not arise at this time in the case of the person whose details were supplied. If the person concerned has made an application for asylum or subsidiary protection, the Deputy will be aware that it is not the practice to comment on such applications for so long as they remain in the protection process or there is any associated court proceedings outstanding.
117. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if consideration may be provided to amendment of immigration laws here along the lines recently announced by President Obama in respect of undocumented immigrants including Irish in the US; if these proposals will be studied with a view to offering a similar concession to undocumented immigrants here who have been good citizens; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45695/14]
View answerThere are no current plans to amend our immigration laws in the manner suggested by the Deputy. Indeed, while I appreciate his concerns on the issue, it is the responsibility of all non-EEA nationals who are resident in the State to ensure that they have an appropriate permission from the Minister for Justice and Equality. Most migrants do in fact comply with this condition and obey the State's immigration laws.
Ireland has shown itself to be a country that is open to migration and it is quite clear that those who opt to abide by our rules benefit from doing so. For instance, since March 2011 over 78,000 immigrants have been naturalised; in the past three years over 240,000 visas have been issued to tourists, students, business people and so forth to enable them to come here.
At the end of 2013 there were over 109,000 non-EEA nationals resident in the State. Ireland continues to provide a safe haven to those who come here to seek our protection.
118. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to provide additional resources for An Garda Síochána towards its investigation of the brutal and horrific murder of a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan in October 2007; if her attention has been drawn to the recent debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly with particular reference to the SDLP motion that noted that the independent monitoring commission stated that current and former members of the Provisional IRA were responsible for the murder of Paul Quinn; if she will provide an assurance that every possible effort will be made and all necessary support/resources given to ensure a successful outcome to these investigations and that the person/persons responsible for this murder will be brought to justice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45714/14]
View answerAt the outset I express my sincere sympathy and condolences to the Quinn family on the brutal murder of their son, Paul. We can all recall clearly the reporting of the violent manner in which was killed. I have no doubt that the grief and suffering caused to his family and friends is made all the more difficult to bear by the fact that those responsible for his murder have yet to be brought to justice.
As the Deputy will understand, responsibility for the investigation of crime rests with an Garda Síochána. I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the investigation into this particular killing is ongoing and active, and that sufficient resources are available to the ongoing investigation. The Deputy will be aware that there have been a number of arrests in the past seven years, both in Northern Ireland and in this jurisdiction, in connection with this killing, most recently in August of this year. The investigation has a significant cross-border element and liaison with the Police Service of Northern Ireland was established at the outset, and the Gardaí continue to receive comprehensive assistance from the PSNI. Members of An Garda Síochána continue to liaise with the Quinn family.
The House can be assured that everything possible will continue to be done to bring the perpetrators of this barbaric crime to the justice they rightly deserve.
119. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of warrants currently outstanding for between zero to three months, three to six months, six to nine months, nine to 12 months and more than 12 months in the Garda J and R districts in the years 2013 and to date in 2014. [45732/14]
View answerI have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the information sought by the Deputy and I will contact him directly when the report is to hand.
120. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the campaign to seek funding for Cuan Alainn Refuge, managed by Respond Housing at Cookstown Way, Tallaght, Dublin 24; his views on the claim that the refuge could close if funding is not made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45616/14]
View answerResponsibility for the funding of Domestic, Sexual and Gender based Violence services transferred from the HSE to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, upon its establishment on 1 January, 2014.
Cuann Alainn Refuge is located in Tallaght and it provides help and support for women and children. I understand that RESPOND Housing Association has provided funding to the refuge since it opened in 2012 but that the centre is currently experiencing funding difficulties.
The Child and Family Agency does not provide funding to the centre. However, I have asked the Agency to look into this matter and I will revert to the Deputy when their advice is to hand.
