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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 2 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 2

Written Answers - Refugee Status.

Brendan Howlin

Ceist:

192 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a decision will be made on the application for refugee status by a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12444/01]

The Refugee Act, 1996, as amended by the Immigration Act, 1999 and the Illegal Immigrants Trafficking Act, 2000, was commenced in full on 20 November 2000. Under the Act, two independent statutory offices were established to consider applications-appeals for refugee status and to make recommendations to the Minister on whether such status should be granted.

These two offices are the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, which considers applications for a declaration as a refugee at first instance and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal which considers applications for a declaration at appeal stage.

A decision on the application in question will be made upon receipt of the recommendation of the Refugee Applications Commissioner or the Refugee Appeals Tribunal as appropriate.

The Deputy may wish to note that my Department has also received an application from the person in question for permission to remain in the State as the spouse of an EU national who is exercising her right to reside in Ireland and as the parent of an Irish citizen child. This application is currently being evaluated and I expect a decision to be arrived at in a matter of weeks.
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