Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 19 May 1999

Vol. 505 No. 1

Written Answers. - Immigration Procedures.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

225 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the instructions given to immigration officers in determining the grant or refusal or leave to land referred to in para graph 2 of the letter from Ms Hope Hanlon of UNHCR; if he will set out a copy of the instructions in his reply or lay a copy before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13305/99]

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

226 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons refused leave to land in each year for the past five years; if he will give a breakdown of the reason for refusal; the number in each year refused under each heading; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13306/99]

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

227 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons invited or required to leave the State upon arrival, though not formally refused leave to land, in each year for the past five years; if he will give a breakdown of the reasons; the number in each year invited or required under each heading; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13308/99]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 to 227, inclusive, together.

The grounds upon which an immigration officer may refuse leave to land to an alien are set out in Article 5 of the Aliens Order, 1946, (S.R. & 0. No. 395 of 1946) as amended by the Aliens (Amendment) Order, 1975 (S.I. No. 128 of 1975) and the Aliens (Amendment) (No. 2) Order, 1999 (S.I. No. 24 of 1999). The numbers of persons refused leave to land in the years 1994 to 1998 are set out according to the reason for refusal in the following table. This information is not yet available for 1999.

Immigration officers have been provided with written guidelines which set out the statutory definition of a refugee contained in section 2 of the Refugee Act, 1996, and which state that a person should not be returned to a country to which he or she is unable or unwilling to return owing to a fear of persecution nor should he or she be returned to a country where his or her personal safety might be seriously threatened as a result of the political situation there. A copy of these instructions has been forwarded to the Deputy and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Persons are not invited, nor can they be required, to leave the State upon arrival without being formally refused leave to land.

Breakdown of persons refused leave to land and reason for refusal in last five years

RefusalCategory	Reason for refusal	Article #	1998	1997	1996	1995	1994*
A	Lack of funds	5 (2) (a)	362	219	110	79	47
B	No work permit	5 (2) (b)	93	62	34	22	Nil
C	Disease/Illness	5 (2) (c)	2	1	Nil	Nil	Nil
D	Previous Conviction	5 (2) (d)	4	3	Nil	1	Nil
E	No Visa	5 (2) (e)	570	489	67	75	7
F	Subject of Deportation Order	5 (2) (f)	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
G	Prohibited by order of the Minister	5 (2) (g)	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
H	Belongs to class of aliens prohibited by order of the Minister	5 (2) (h)	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
I	Not in possession of valid passport or other document	5 (2) (i)	1,062	775	96	100	11
J	Alien intends to travel to Great Britain or Northern Ireland	5 (2) (j)	334	299	253	120	23
K	Alien an airman/seaman who arrived in the course of their employment and remained in the State after departure of the vessel	5 (2) (k)	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
L	Aliens entry to State would pose a threat to National security or contrary to public policy	5 (2) (l)	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
M	Intent to deceive	5 (2) (m)	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Total			2,427	1,848	560	397	88

#The article referred to is from the Aliens Order, 1946 (as amended).

*All figures are not available for 1994.