asked the Minister for Justice if he will indicate his Department's estimates of the number of illegal aliens who are living in Ireland and the present number of applicants at 30 September 1989 who had (a) applied for a resident's permit, (b) been refused a resident's permit and (c) granted a resident's permit; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Illegal Aliens.
200.
As there is no control on entry to the State from Great Britain and Northern Ireland and as an illegal alien includes, by definition, a person who has failed to bring himself to notice as required by the aliens law, it follows that it is not practicable to obtain reliable information relating to the number of such persons in the State at any time. In reply to a similar question in November 1988 it was mentioned that the Garda estimated that there could be 5,000 illegal aliens in the State. That is still the best estimate that I have.
The records of my Department are not kept in a way that would enable me readily to provide the information sought, under a number of headings, of the position which obtained at 30 September 1989. The examination of records that would be required to compile the information would involve a commitment of staff resources which could not be justified in present circumstances.