Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 May 2022
322. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice the special steps, if any, that need to be taken by Ukrainians who have come here in recent months due to the war there, and whose passports were not stamped by Irish immigration on entering the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27097/22]
View answerThere is a coordinated whole-of-Government response to support people arriving in Ireland who have fled the violence in Ukraine. Government Departments and services are working together to implement Ireland's commitments under the EU Temporary Protection Directive (2001/55/EC), which has been activated for the first time to grant temporary protection to displaced persons from Ukraine.
My Department is primarily responsible for issuing temporary protection documents to those who are eligible. Those granted Temporary Protection have immediate access to the labour market, social welfare, accommodation and other State supports as needed.
As of 25 May 2022, my Department has issued 32,149 temporary protection permission letters.
Any Ukrainian citizen who arrived in Ireland prior to 25 February, when I lifted the visa requirements due to the war, will have required a visa to travel here and the appropriate visa sticker will have been placed in their passport. People who arrived from Ukraine after 25 February, will have been given a 90 day immigration permission, as standard on arrival, by an immigration officer at their airport or port of entry to the State. My Department's Border Management Unit carries out these immigration duties at Dublin Airport and the Garda National Immigration Bureau is responsible for arrangements at all other ports of entry.
If anyone has entered the country without receiving this permission they should make themselves known to their local immigration authorities.
Arrangements for the registration of the permission and the issuance of an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card to those who have arrived from Ukraine will be finalised by my Department as soon as possible. All necessary steps will be taken to ensure that the process is as simple and stress-free as possible. The practical arrangements will be communicated at the appropriate time.
I can assure the Deputy that my Government colleagues and I will continue to work with our EU counterparts on any further EU-wide measures that might be needed to assist those fleeing Ukraine.
