Departmental Staff.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2004

Wednesday, 29 September 2004

Ceisteanna (919, 920, 921, 922)

John Perry

Ceist:

1101 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will clarify the apparent contradiction in his previous reply in which he stated that staff of the ORAC known as presenting officers represent the Refugee Applications Commissioner at appeal hearings and occupy a wing of the building in Hanover Street in which those staff reside; do not have access to any RAT accommodation other than rooms in which appeal hearings are held; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22059/04]

John Perry

Ceist:

1108 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if there is an accommodation crisis at the main permanent offices of the Refugee Applications Commissioner situated at 79-83 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2 that necessitates 36 staff from that office to work on an ongoing basis at the offices of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal at 6/7 Hanover Street, Dublin 1; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22136/04]

John Perry

Ceist:

1109 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of the 36 staff from the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, based at the Office of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal at 6/7 Hanover Street, Dublin 1, that are presenting officers and are directly involved at oral hearings of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22137/04]

John Perry

Ceist:

1110 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if there is an accommodation crisis at the offices of the Refugee Applications Commissioner at 79-83 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2 and it is necessary to accommodate 36 staff from that office at the offices of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal; his views on whether it is much more appropriate in the interests of impartiality and justice that those staff be staff other than those directly involved in appeal hearings at the office of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22138/04]

Freagraí scríofa

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1101 and 1108 to 1110, inclusive, together.

The accommodation space occupied by presenting officers from the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, ORAC, in 6/7 Hanover Street, Dublin 1 is clearly set out in my reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 362 to 366, inclusive, of 25 May 2004.

It is solely a matter for the independent statutory agencies involved in the refugee determination process namely, the ORAC and the RAT, to determine how they organise their accommodation arrangements. I am informed that 31 staff from the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner work in the presenting unit in Hanover Street, 25 of whom are presenting officers.