Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 September 2011
207 Deputy Catherine Byrne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the way a person (details supplied) can proceed with an application for a temporary Irish travel document, in view of the extenuating circumstances in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25473/11]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by the Irish Immigration and Naturalisation Service (INIS) that the person concerned was recently afforded temporary permission to remain in the State valid until 02 July 2014. The holding of this type of immigration status does not obligate INIS to issue a travel document and any decision to do so is discretionary. I should point out that a temporary travel document is normally only granted in exceptional circumstances, for example, to go abroad for urgent medical treatment or other humanitarian reasons, and where the applicant is not in a position to obtain a passport or other equivalent document from his or her own authorities.
The person concerned has previously held an Irish temporary travel document initially issued on 03 September 2007 that was renewed on at least two subsequent occasions to allow the person procure their national passport. I am advised that INIS has written to the person concerned this week with regard to the possible facilitation of his request to be issued with a further temporary travel document. A reply is awaited.
I should remind the Deputy that queries in relation to the status of individual Immigration cases may also be made direct to INIS by Email using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. The service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek this information through the more administratively expensive Parliamentary Questions process.
