Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 12 Nov 2002

Vol. 557 No. 1

Written Answers. - Refugee Status.

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

410 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will review a case (details supplied); his views on whether it was wrong to have officials unsupervised in a room with two children regardless of their sex or having uniforms; and if he will assist this family in the case concerned. [21568/02]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

I have reviewed the case file in this matter and have considered the request by the legal representatives of the family concerned to make a further application for a declaration of refugee status pursuant to Section 17(7) of the Refugee Act, 1996. Following detailed consideration, I have decided to refuse this request and have communicated my decision to the legal representatives.

I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 628 of 5 November 2002. The Deputy will be aware that the enforcement of deportation orders is a Garda operational matter. As regards the situation where members of the Garda National Immigration Bureau came into contact with the children concerned in the course of their attempts to enforce the deportation orders in this case, I have outlined the position in this regard in my reply of 5 November.