Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 25 Jan 1996

Vol. 460 No. 5

Written Answers. - Somali Refugees.

Alan Shatter

Ceist:

62 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Justice whether the Pilgrim House Community has requested the Government's agreement to permit into Ireland a small group of Somali people with mental handicaps who are victims of the Somali famine; when agreement for these people to enter this country was first sought; whether the Government was informed that the Pilgrim House Community would meet all the costs of transport and care of the people concerned from its own resources; and the reason the Government has to date refused to agree to the admittance into Ireland of the group concerned. [1620/96]

Alan Shatter

Ceist:

67 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Justice whether the Pilgrim House Community has requested the Government's agreement to permit into Ireland a small group of Somali people with mental handicaps who are victims of the Somali famine; when agreement for these people to enter this country was first sought; whether the Government was informed that the Pilgrim House Community would meet all the costs of transport and care of the people concerned from its own resources; and the reason the Government has to date refused to agree to the admittance into Ireland of the group concerned. [1645/96]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 67 together.

The matter to which the Deputy refers is not solely for consideration by my Department.

A request was received from the Pilgrim House Community in June 1993 outlining a project about which they were in discussion with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and seeking our Department's approval in principle to provide care in Ireland for a small group of Somali orphans and in the event of a parent subsequently presenting themselves that contact with the children would be facilitated.

The community were informed that their proposal had implications for a number of Government Departments, in particular the Departments of Health and Foreign Affairs. Although my Department has responsibility for immigration controls generally, any proposal regarding the admission of a group of people in to the State in these circumstances — and especially a group of persons in need of constant medical attention — would need consideration by these other Departments.

The Pilgrim House Community was informed by the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs in January 1994 that the proposal was outside the scope of the Department's responsibilities for refugees as determined by Government decisions. My predecessor informed the community in February 1994 of her consequent inability to accede to their request.

I am not aware of any new information in the hands of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Health or my own Department which would warrant a reversal of that decision.