Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 13 May 2003

Vol. 566 No. 3

Written Answers. - Asylum Applications.

Jack Wall

Ceist:

175 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of applications for asylum received during 2002 and to date in 2003; the number of applications upheld by the Refugee Appeals Commission; the number of appeals submitted by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal; the number of such appeals upheld; the number of applications for leave to remain; the number of such applications granted; the number of deportation orders made; the number of such deportations carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12801/03]

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

The information sought by the Deputy is outlined in the following tables:

Table 1

Number of applications received and the number of recommendations by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner to grant refugee status (at first instance) in 2002 and 2003 (30 April 2003)

	2002	2003(30 April)
Number of applications received	11,634	3,485
Number of recommendations to grant refugee status issued by the Office of the Refugee ApplicationsCommissioner*	893	124

*It is assumed that the reference in the Deputy's question to ‘Refugee Appeals Commission' refers to the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner.

Table 2

Number of appeals submitted to the Refugee Appeals Tribunal and the number upheld (at appeal stage) in 2002 and 2003 (30/04/03)

	2002	2003(30 April)
Number of appeals received by Refugee Appeals Tribunal*	5,099	1,578
Number of appeals upheld by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal (granted refugee status)*	1,097	316

*Substantive cases

Table 3

Number of Deportation Orders Signed and Number effected in 2002 and 2003 (30 April 2003):

	2002	2003(30 April)
Number of Deportation Orders Signed	2,430	605
Number of Deportation Orders Effected	521	173

In so far as the information is available, the number of applications for leave to remain in the State during 2002 was 6,896. The number granted leave to remain in 2002 on the basis on parentage of an Irish born child was 3,123; on the basis of marriage to an Irish national was 86 and on the basis of dependants of an EU citizen was 138. The number granted leave to remain on humanitarian grounds was 159.

The number of applications for leave to remain in the State during 2003 up to 31 March 2003 was 1,095. The number granted leave to remain in 2003 up to 31 March 2003 on the basis on parentage of an Irish-born child was 172; on the basis on marriage to an Irish national was seven and on the basis of dependants of an EU citizen was 12. The number granted leave to remain on humanitarian grounds was 30.