Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 November 2022
859. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Justice her views on a matter in relation to the regularisation scheme for undocumented people (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54630/22]
View answer862. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to many people seeking asylum having been left out of the recent regularisation scheme for undocumented people, due to their not having the full residence requirement on the day that the scheme opened and could not apply, despite meeting the criteria of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54729/22]
View answer869. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Justice if both time spent in the asylum process and time spent undocumented can be combined to achieve eligibility under the regularisation of long-term undocumented migrant's scheme. [54954/22]
View answer876. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Justice if she will address the situation in which prospective applicants of the recent regularisation scheme for undocumented persons who reached the residence requirement during the scheme but could not apply due to their not having the full residence requirement on the day that the scheme opened; and if an allowance to apply could be made in these cases. [55167/22]
View answer895. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to reports that there are persons who have lived for many years in Ireland who feel unfairly omitted from the recent regularisation scheme for undocumented persons; if she will acknowledge that there are those who have been living in Ireland for four years when their time in the asylum process and living as an undocumented person is added together, yet they were unable to apply for either strand of the scheme; if she will provide advice and hope to those in this position who are desperate to become regularised; if she will outline any plans to include such persons in another scheme or opportunity, in order that they do not get left behind; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55540/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 859, 862, 869, 876 and 895 together.
The scheme for the Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants closed on 31 July 2022. This once in a generation scheme was designed to give long-term undocumented people without a current permission to remain in the State, the chance to regularise their status, access the labour market and begin their path to citizenship.
Any person who previously held an immigration permission or a temporary permission to remain while their application pursuant to the relevant legislation was under consideration or at review stage would not be considered as undocumented and therefore this period of time will not meet the criteria for the recently closed regularisation scheme.
My Department had significant engagement with the NGOs in this sector before and during the timeframe for applications and also widely advertised the scheme in advance of and during the 6 month window it was open. Additionally, a targeted media campaign was launched during the final weeks of the scheme.
If a person remains resident in the State without an immigration permission I encourage them to contact the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) or their local immigration office and to take all the appropriate steps to regularise their status.
Any application submitted should explain their current circumstances and future intentions in the State and provide any documentation they feel will support their application.
In all cases, people must engage with the authorities if they wish to be permitted to remain here legally.
The Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) examines each application to remain in the State on a case-by-case basis and has consistently urged anyone in this position to come forward if they wish to apply to regularise their immigration position in the State.
