Written Answers. - Asylum Applications. – Dáil Éireann (29th Dáil) – Tuesday, 17 Dec 2002

Written Answers. - Asylum Applications.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

339 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of asylum seekers whose application was rejected by the RAC and have been allowed to stay here on the basis of being a parent to an Irish born child. [26347/02]

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

For the period 1996 to 2001 a total of 4,853 persons were granted leave to remain on the basis of an Irish born child. From 1 January to 30 November 2002 a total of 2,879 persons have been granted leave to remain on the basis of an Irish born child. The above figures represent current or former asylum seekers.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

340 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the breakdown by nationality of the number of asylum seekers granted and rejected refugee status in 2001 and 2002 by the RAC; and the same details for the RAT. [26348/02]

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

A breakdown of recommendations to grant and refuse refugee status at first instance made by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner for 2001 and 2002 – to end of November – is contained in tables 1 and 2. The decisions affirmed or set aside at appeal stage by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal for 2001 and 2002 – to end of November – are contained in tables 3 and 4. Totals for nationalities in respect of which there were less than ten positive or negative decisions/recommendations are shown under the heading "others".

Table 1 – Breakdown by Nationality of Recommendations to Grant a Declaration of Refugee Status for 2001 and 2002 (30/11/02)

Country of Origin	2001	2002
Albania		14
Angola	44	50
Cameroon	10	31
Congo	14	11
Croatia	14	29
Czech Republic	11
DR of Congo/Zaire	50	125
Iran		10
Iraq	35	42
Kazakhstan	12
Kenya		11
Kosovo	47	29
Liberia		10
Nigeria	27	30
Pakistan		35
Palestine		19
Russia	12	25
Rwanda		14
Sierra Leone	19	12
Slovak		10
Somalia	34	33
Sudan		11
Togo	11	14
Zimbabwe		153
Others	118	142
Total	458	860

Table 2 – Breakdown by Nationality of Recommendations to Refuse a Declaration of Refugee Status for 2001 & 2002 (30/11/02)

Country of Origin	2001	2002
Afghanistan	11	15
Albania	44	115
Algeria	323	163
Angola	125	144
Armenia	22
Azerbaijan	11
Belarus	43	67
Bulgaria	90	57
Burundi	14	15
Cameroon	33	112
China		28
Congo	15	15
Croatia	45	237
Czech Republic	135	146
DR of Congo/Zaire	185	229
Egypt		31
Estonia	11	54
Gambia		35
Georgia	37	110
Ghana	41	111

Country of Origin	2001	2002
India	12
Iran		18
Iraq	50	35
Israel		45
Ivory Coast	36	61
Kazakhstan	21	71
Kenya	40	32
Kosovo	224	91
Latvia	42	36
Lebanon		19
Liberia	10	18
Libya	24	45
Lithuania	55	119
Macedonia		29
Moldova	277	374
Nigeria	1,631	1,836
Pakistan	40
Palestine	13	88
Panama		15
Poland	204	267
Romania	1,709	889

Country of Origin	2001	2002
Russia	233	221
Rwanda	16	1
Serbia		44
Sierra Leone	123	176
Slovakia	23	26
Somalia	97	46
South Africa	78	166
Sri Lanka	28	11
Stateless		29
Sudan	28	27
Togo	11	14
Turkey	12	14
Uganda		13
Ukraine	134	202
Uzbekistan		39
Yugoslavia		26
Zimbabwe	14	162
Others	131	125
Total	6,501	7,128

Total number of Refusals including Manifestly Unfounded after interview and Recommendation under S11(9)

Table 3 – Outcome of Substantive Appeals by Nationality for 2001 and 2002 (30/11)

Nationality	2001	Set-aside	Affirmed	Total	2002	Set-aside	Affirmed	Total
Albania	6	4	10	13	27	40
Algeria	31	103	134	52	143	195
Angola	42	37	79	76	64	140
Armenia	5	5	10	8	4	12
Belarus	4	17	21	17	18	35
Bulgaria	13	38	51	10	52	62
Burundi				2	9	11
Cameroon	7	3	10	12	41	53
Congo	5	14	19	1	12	13
Croatia				48	66	114
Czech Republic	15	42	57	41	92	133
DR Congo	44	70	114	64	103	167
Egypt		16	16	11	4	15
Estonia				0	19	19
Gambia				2	12	14
Georgia				14	37	51
Ghana				5	42	47
Iran				6	7	13
Iraq	22	14	36	19	19	38
Ivory Coast	2	12	14	6	23	29
Kazakhstan				9	18	27
Kenya	2	8	10	8	12	20
Kosovo	33	86	119	30	101	131
Latvia		11	11	6	29	35
Libya	32	27	59	11	11	22
Lithuania				5	50	55
Moldova	14	61	75	52	152	204
Nigeria	44	299	343	120	1,001	1,121
Pakistan	3	21	24	8	39	47
Poland	7	26	33	30	95	125
Romania	45	288	333	109	520	629
Russia	17	35	52	65	122	187
Rwanda	5	8	13	6	10	16
Serbia				3	12	15
Sierra Leone	8	34	42	21	85	106
Slovakia				8	6	14
Somalia	20	33	53	19	17	36
South Africa		13	13	11	85	96
Sudan	3	20	23	5	9	14
Tajikistan	5	8	13
Togo				5	5	10
Turkey				4	8	12
Uganda				11	2	13
Ukraine	12	30	42	32	72	104
Uzbekistan				5	15	20
Zimbabwe				10	23	33
Others	33	80	113	32	74	106
Total	479	1,463	1,942	1,032	3,367	4,399

Table 4 – Outcome of Manifestly Unfounded Appeals by Nationality for 2001 and 2002 (30/11)

Nationality	2001	Set-aside	Affirmed	Total	2002	Set-aside	Affirmed	Total
Algeria	11	11	22
Belarus	2	9	11
Bulgaria	3	14	17
Czech Republic	16	20	36	1	15	16
Kosovo	4	7	11
Moldova	20	23	43
Nigeria	48	149	197	16	17	33
Poland	7	30	37
Romania	36	188	224	9	31	40
Russia	10	8	18
Sierra Leone	1	11	12
South Africa	2	19	21
Ukraine	1	9	10
Others	14	50	64	22	17	39
Total	175	548	723	48	80	128

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

341 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the breakdown by nationality of the number of asylum seekers against whom deportation orders were signed in 2001 and 2002 and against whom deportation orders were effected in 2001 and 2002. [26349/02]

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

I am taking it that the Deputy is referring to the number of refused asylum seekers against whom deportation order were made as asylum seekers have a temporary right of residency in the State while their asylum applications are being considered.

A total of 1,854 deportation orders were signed in 2001 in respect of refused asylum seekers as follows: 18 Albanians, 21 Algerians, five Angolans, six Armenians, two Azerbaijani, one Bangladeshi, 19 Belarussians, two Bosnians, 40 Bulgarians, two Burundians, eight Cameroonians, one Chad, two Chinese, two Congolese, eight Croatians, 92 Czechs, one DR Congolese, five Egyptians, one Eritrean, one Estonian, one Ethiopian, one Gambian, six Georgians, nine Ghanaians, two Guineans, four Indians, two Iranians, eight Ivory Coast, one Jamaican, six Kazakhstanis, 11 Kenyans, 92 Kosovans, ten Latvians, two Lebanese, two Liberians, two Libyans, 30 Lithuanians, two Macedonians, one Malawian, one Mauritian, 71 Moldovans, two Moroccans, one Niger, 493 Nigerians, 14 Pakistanis, one Palestinean, 94 Polish, 608 Romanians, 42 Russians, one Serbian, one Sierra Leone, two Somalians, 17 South Africans, six Sri Lankans, one Stateless, two Sudanese, one Tajikistani, three Togolese, two Turkish, three Ugandans, one UK, 42 Ukrainians, five Yugoslavians, eight Zairians, one Zambian and two Zimbabweans.

Some 317 deportation orders were effected in 2001, including 20 who left the State before the orders were effected, as follows: three Albanians, three Algerians, one Azerbaijani, two Belarussians, one Bosnian, 17 Bulgarians, one Burundian, one Chad, one Chinese, eight Croatians, 55 Czechs, one Estonian, one Gambian, one Ghanaian, one Iranian, one Ivory Coast, one Jamaican, 12 Kosovans, three Latvians, one Liberian, three Lithuanians, two Malaysians, 13 Moldovans, one Moroccan, 17 Nigerians, 40 Polish, 109 Romanians, three Russians, one Serbian, seven South Africans, one Turkish, one UK, two Ukrainians and two Zairians.

From 1 January 2002 to 12 December 2002, 2,198 deportation orders were made as follows: one Afghanistani, 42 Albanians, 75 Algerians, seven Angolans, one Armenian, one Azerbaijani, 36 Belarussians, one Brazilian, 44 Bulgarians, three Burundians, 14 Cameroonians, five Chinese, one Colombian, five Congolese, 20 Croatians, 138 Czechs, two DR Congolese, seven Estonians, one Gabonese, seven Gambians, 15 Georgians, ten Ghanaians, one Guinean, two Hungarians, 14 Indians, one Iranian, one Iraqi, two Israelis, 14 Ivory Coast, one Jamaican, three Kazakhstanis, 23 Kenyans, 92 Kosovans, one Kyrgystani, 16 Latvians, nine Lebanese, 36 Lithuanians, 13 Macedonians, one Mali, one Mauritian, 111 Moldovans, one Moroccan, 455 Nigerians, 32 Pakistanis, six Palestinians, three Filipinos, 117 Polish, 525 Romanians, 91 Russians, two Serbians, four Sierra Leone, 27 Slovakians, three Somalians, 28 South Africans, 21 Sri Lankans, five stateless, four Sudanese, two Tajikistanis, one Tanzanian, one Thai, six Togolese, one Turkish, 67 Ukrainian, two Uzbekistanis, 11 Yugoslavians, one Zairian and four Zimbabweans.

Some 434 deportation orders were effected in 2002, including 13 who left the State before the orders were effected, as follows: six Albanians, seven Algerians, one Brazilian, six Belarussians, 17 Bulgarians, one Cameroonian, three Chinese, one Congolese, nine Croatians, 64 Czechs, one DR Congolese, two Estonians, one Ghanaian, one Hungarian, one Iranian, six Kazakhstani, 18 Kosovans, four Latvians, five Lithuanians, six Macedonians, 23 Moldovans, 45 Nigerians, two Pakistanis, 57 Polish, 120 Romanians, nine Russians, one Serbian, two Somalians, one South African, two stateless, one Sudanese, ten Ukrainians and one Uzbekistani.

The figures above represent persons who applied for refugee status and were refused and persons transferred to another country under the Dublin Convention. They do not include persons who are deemed to have been staying illegally in the State and who did not apply for asylum status. The immigration division of my Department actively encourages persons who might otherwise be deported to return voluntarily to their countries of origin, and has enlisted the help of the International Organisation for Migration to assist with this task. At present the organisation is focusing on the return of Romanians, Nigerians and CIS nationals. The number of persons who voluntarily repatriate has increased significantly over the past four years as evidenced by the figures below.

Voluntary Returns

Year	No of Returns
1999	37
2000	248
2001	356
2002*	456

*Up to 12/12/2002

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht - Tuesday, 17 Dec 2002