Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 16 Oct 2003

Vol. 572 No. 5

Adjournment Debate. - Residency Permits.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

163 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 265 of 2 October 2003, if he will consider the plight of the children in Brazzaville who cannot join their parents here and who live in fear in their present location and whose parents cannot join them for political and life-threatening reasons; if he will review the visa request for these children, having regard to international human rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23785/03]

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

As I informed the Deputy in my response to Question No. 265 of 2 October 2003, the parents' permission to reside in the State is based solely on parentage of an Irish born child. Following the decision of the Supreme Court in the cases of L and O, the Government decided, inter alia, that the general policy of allowing such persons to be joined in the State by other family members would no longer apply. The circum stances of this case do not warrant a departure from that general policy. I should add that on the basis of information available in my Department, including information obtained from the German authorities, the accounts given by the persons in question regarding their residence prior to their arrival in this jurisdiction contain significant inconsistencies. There are also serious inconsistencies related to their children.

Dan Boyle

Ceist:

164 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of citizens of the Democratic Republic of the Congo currently residing here; the classes of status that are held; and the grouping of assessment procedures in which they are involved. [23802/03]

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

The number of legally resident nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo who registered with the Garda in 2002 was 669. This figure excludes persons who have been in the State less than three months, female spouses of Irish nationals and persons under 16 years of age. It also excludes persons who are in the asylum process or who have failed the asylum process and who have not been given residency in the State on any other basis. In the same year, 270 nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo applied for asylum in this State. There are a wide variety of circumstances in which a person may apply for residency in the State. It is also the case that a person who is legally resident on one basis may apply for residency on another basis. Generally this arises because of additional benefits which may accrue as a result of that latter permission. Consequently, it is not possible to determine in respect of each Congolese national the number of separate applications made without the deployment of a disproportionate amount of resources.