Vol. 549 No. 2
34 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding the investigation into the death of eight people whose bodies were found in a container in Wexford in December last; if any of the survivors sought permission to remain here; the decision which has been made regarding such applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6097/02]
The recent tragedy in Wexford was the subject of a major Garda investigation involving gardaí in Wexford, the Garda National Immigration Bureau and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Due to the international dimensions of the human trafficking activity involved in this case close liaison is being maintained with the Belgian authorities. Liaison officers have been appointed to facilitate this process. The investigation is ongoing in both jurisdictions. Two persons have been questioned by the Belgian police in that context.
Three of the five survivors of this tragedy remain in this jurisdiction. Applications for permission to remain in the State on humanitarian grounds have been received from two of them very recently. At present their applications are being processed. The third person is in the process of making a similar application. Any such application will be considered most sympathetically by me having regard to the appalling circumstances surrounding their arrival here.
