Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 10 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 4

Written Answers - Asylum Applications.

Emmet Stagg

Ceist:

278 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of people, since the commencement of the Dublin Convention (Implementation) Order, 1997, whose applications for refugee status have been considered or dealt with in the context of the Dublin Convention or who have otherwise had their cases considered or dealt with under or in the context of that Convention or the legislation or statutory instrument implementing the Convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6439/98]

Emmet Stagg

Ceist:

279 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will provide a breakdown of the number of people, since the commencement of the Dublin Convention (Implementation) Order, 1997, whose applications for refugee status have been considered or dealt with in the context of the Dublin Convention or who have otherwise had their cases considered or dealt with under or in the context of that Convention or the legislation or statutory instrument implementing the Convention who have been interviewed by an immigration officer, have requested legal advice or aid, have received legal advice or aid to his knowledge and have received translation facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6440/98]

Emmet Stagg

Ceist:

280 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will provide a breakdown of the number of people, since the commencement of the Dublin Convention (Implementation) Order, 1997, whose applications for refugee status have been considered or dealt with in the context of this Convention and who have been the subject of a decision in respect of which an appeal lies to the appointed officer or have exercised the right to make such appeal or have succeeded on appeal or have failed on appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6441/98]

Emmet Stagg

Ceist:

281 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will provide a breakdown of the number of people, since the commencement of the Dublin Convention (Implementation) Order 1997, whose applications for refugee status have been considered or dealt with in the context of this Convention and who have been requested or required to leave the State on foot of a decision of the appointed officer on appeal or have been requested or required to leave the State on foot of any other decision or have been requested or required to leave the State in circumstances where their presence in the State was not conducive to the public good or who have been the subject of a deportation order on foot of a decision of the appointed officer on appeal or have been the subject of a deportation order on foot of any other decision or who have been the subject of a deportation order in circumstances where their presence in the State was not conducive to the public good and whether these deportation orders were executed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6442/98]

Emmet Stagg

Ceist:

287 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will provide a breakdown of the number of people, since the commencement of the Dublin Convention (Implementation Order), 1997, whose applications for refugee status have been considered or dealt with in the context of the Dublin Convention or who have otherwise had their cases considered or dealt with under or in the context of that Convention or the legislation or statutory instrument implementing the Convention, who have been recognised as refugees, have been the subject of a decision to refuse recognition as a refugee or fall into any other category; if he will provide details of these categories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6500/98]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 278, 279, 280, 281 and 287 together.

The Dublin Convention provides a basis for determining the state responsible for examining applications for asylum lodged in one of the member states of the European Communities. It does no more than this. The Dublin Convention (Implementation) Order, 1997, came into operation on 1 September 1997. All applications for refugee status made in the State since that date have been or are being examined to establish if the Dublin Convention criteria apply. In the period 1 September 1997 to 28 February 1998 a total of 1,963 applications for refugee status have been lodged in the State.

On the basis of the evidence available in individual cases formal requests have been made to other member states party to the Dublin Convention to take charge of 74 applicants. Full details are set out in Table I which follows. In addition, requests have been made of this country to take charge of applicants who have also sought refugee status in other EU member states — details are set out in Table II.

Table I

Formal requests for transfer of persons by Ireland to other .Member States during the period 01/09/97-28/02/98

Transfer Requests
1. Submitted	74
2. Accepted	39
3. Refused	10
4. Pending	25
5. Postponement of transfer after acceptance	31
6. Transfers	8

Table II

Formal requests for transfer of persons to Ireland by other Member States during the period 01/09/97-28/02/98

Transfer Requests
1. Submitted	32
2. Accepted	29
3. Refused	2
4. Pending	1
5. Postponement of transfer after acceptance	5
6. Transfers	22

Ninety-five per cent of applications for refugee status are made directly to my Department with the remainder being made at points of entry to the State. The very large number of applications has meant that all applicants have not been interviewed for Dublin Convention purposes. Where interviews have taken place and the applicant has not been proficient in the English language interpretation facilities have been provided. I am not in a position to provide statistics as to the number of cases where this has been necessary. I have no information available to me as to the number of applicants who may have sought legal advice in any matters relating to the Dublin Convention.

Following consideration of the 39 acceptances received from other convention countries, the appointed officer has made 32 determinations in the period 1 September 1997 to 28 February 1998. Consideration of the cases of the remaining seven persons was outstanding on 28 February and 27 of the 32 determinations have been appealed to the appeals officer. The appeals officer has upheld the appointed officer's decisions in respect of 19 persons and decisions in respect of a further eight persons are pending. Of the 19 cases finalised, eight person have been returned to the relevant convention country.

In addition, since 1 September 1997, 75 instructions to leave the State were served on persons for various reasons not associated with the Dublin Convention: six of these persons have been deported.

None of the persons whose applications have been considered under the Dublin Convention has had substantive asylum claims considered yet: this applies to persons whose cases fall to be considered substantively in the State following consideration of the Dublin Convention aspects of their cases and those who have been returned to this State by other states under the Dublin Convention provisions.