Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 April 2024
96. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice the number of international protection applicants who have applied for permission to her to leave Ireland from 2019 to date in 2024; the application criteria her Department applies in such instances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16872/24]
View answer97. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice the number of international protection applicants who have applied for permission to leave Ireland from 2019 to date in 2024; if her Department notifies the Department of Social Protection when permission is granted; the number of such notifications provided to that Department from 2019 to date in 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16873/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 97 together.
Section 16 of the International Protection Act 2015 deals with permission to enter and remain in the State in the context of international protection applicants. Section 16(3)(a) of that Act provides that an applicant, as defined in section 2(1) of the same Act, shall not leave, or attempt to leave, the State without the consent of the Minister.
In terms of the application criteria to be applied in such instances, the position is that each such request received will be considered on its individual merits. An important consideration in any such case will be to ensure that there is no incompatibility between the request being made and the requester’s position as an international protection applicant in the State. In the normal course of events, any such request made will be responded to within a matter of days. On occasion, it may be necessary to request clarification or further information around the request made before a decision can be made on the request. Typically the purpose of travel is for personal, humanitarian or medical grounds.
While records are not held in respect of the requests of this nature made in the years between 2019 and 2023, I am advised that in the region of 100 such requests are generally received, with the number being significantly lower during the period in which of restrictions on international travel caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In the context of 2024, I can advise the Deputy that, up to 15 April 2024, 27 requests of this nature have been received.
I am advised that it is not the practice of my Department to notify the Department of Social Protection when a request for ministerial consent to leave the State is being accommodated. Requests for consent to leave the State are typically for no more than a few days.
Finally, It is important to note that any international protection applicant who obtains ministerial consent to leave the State will also be required to satisfy the immigration requirements of the country of destination before they can make concrete plans to leave the State.
