Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 29 Jan 1992

Vol. 415 No. 1

Written Answers. - Refugee Status Application.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

287 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Justice the reason his Department have considered that a person (details supplied) does not have the status of a refugee, when documentation relating to his status, including a certificate from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, was received by his Department; if, in the light of this certification, he will review his decision to refuse the person's application for refugee status and grant him rights to live in this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

290 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Justice the reasons an application by an Iraqi refugee (details supplied) was turned down for refugee status in Ireland; and if he will reconsider this application.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Burke)

I propose to reply to Questions Nos. 287 and 290 together.

The position is that an application for refugee status from the person referred to in the question is being examined in my Department to see whether the person concerned qualifies as a refugee as defined by the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees as amended by the 1967 New York Protocol. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has been consulted and has given a view on the application.

I intend to make a decision on the application in the near future and my decision will be conveyed to the applicant as soon as possible.