Written Answers Nos. 181 - 189
181. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the total costs of the Garda wage and overtime bill in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41713/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote. In that context, I am informed by the Garda authorities that the table below outlines the total pay and overtime costs for the Garda organisation in the years 2007 - 2013 (January - September).
|
- |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 (Jan - Sep) |
|
- |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
|
Salaries & Allowances |
864,384 |
963,286 |
1,000,060 |
947,720 |
955,980 |
912,767 |
687,631 |
|
Overtime |
138,354 |
115,280 |
79,485 |
78,223 |
80,937 |
42,422 |
37,209 |
|
Total |
1,002,738 |
1,078,566 |
1,079,545 |
1,025,943 |
1,036,917 |
955,189 |
724,840 |
183. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of visas granted to Chinese citizens in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; the discussions he has held with his UK counterpart on UK changes to visa access for Chinese tourists and new proposals for visa bonds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41715/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of my Department that the number of Irish visas granted to Chinese nationals in 2010, 2011 and 2012 was 8,066, 8,822 and 9,342, respectively. In 2013 to date (30 September) some 7,700 visas have issued.
The number of visas granted each year to Chinese nationals has increased significantly since 2010, with 15% more visas issued in 2012 than in 2010. Furthermore, in both 2012 and 2011, Chinese nationals accounted for 11% of total visa applications, the third largest number of visa applications from a single country. I can also advise the Deputy that in 2012 the approval rate for visa applications of Chinese Nationals was 96%, an increase from 93% in 2010.
The Deputy may also wish to note that China is one of the seventeen countries covered by the Visa Waiver Programme which allows certain categories of visitor to the UK, including tourists, to travel on to Ireland without the need for an Irish visa. Information provided by Tourism Ireland to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of my Department indicates that since the introduction of the visa waiver programme, new Tour Operator Programmes alone have contributed to an additional 6,000 Chinese nationals travelling to Ireland.
In relation to the United Kingdom, there is close cooperation between the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration service of my Department and the UK Home Office and I regularly discuss with both the UK's Home Secretary and Minister for Immigration matters relating to the operation and oversight of the Common Travel Area arrangement. In that context and building on success of the Irish Visa Waiver Programme, work is continuing in partnership with the UK Home Office on the development of short-stay CTA visa arrangements which would allow tourists and business visitors to travel to the CTA, with first arrival in either jurisdiction, and thereafter to travel freely throughout the CTA. The intention is that Chinese nationals will be among the principal beneficiaries of these arrangements. I have no plans at this time to introduce any form of bond for visa applicants from any country.
184. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the changes he will make to the Irish short-stay visa waiver programme in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41716/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra185. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide in tabular form the number of tourists who have visited here under the Irish short-stay visa waiver programme in 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013. [41717/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 185 together.
The Irish short-stay Visa Waiver Programme for holders of certain categories of UK visa, which commenced in July 2011, is a demonstration of the Government's determination to maximise, to the greatest possible extent, the economic potential of the Common Travel Area (CTA). The Visa Waiver Programme allows persons from seventeen designated countries to travel to Ireland on the basis of a UK visa and it has proved very effective in attracting increased numbers of visitors from emerging tourist markets.
As visitors to Ireland availing of the Visa Waiver Programme do not need an Irish visa, the statistical data requested by the Deputy is not collected by my Department. However, the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service of my Department has been advised by Tourism Ireland that the total number of trips to Ireland of residents of countries covered by the programme increased by approximately 38% in the 18 months after the programme was introduced. In addition, in relation to China and India alone, Tourism Ireland advises that some 55 new tour operator programmes to Ireland have been developed as a result of the introduction of the waiver programme. These programmes alone have contributed to over 13,000 additional visitors to Ireland from India and China.
Building on success of the Programme, work is continuing in partnership with the UK Home Office on the development of short-stay CTA visa arrangements which would allow tourists and business visitors to travel to the CTA, with first arrival in either jurisdiction, and thereafter to travel freely throughout the CTA. It is planned for the rollout of such a visa arrangements to commence in 2014. Prior to its introduction, the necessary technical and operational arrangements, including the capture of biometric data (fingerprints) in electronic format for visa applicants, need to be put in place between the two jurisdictions. The operation of the Irish short-stay Visa Waiver Programme will be kept under review in the context of the introduction of Common Travel Area visa arrangements with the UK.
186. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in response to an application for residency/preparation of eligibility for naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41740/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned applied for asylum on 24th October, 2005. Her asylum application was refused following consideration of her case by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. The person concerned initiated judicial review proceedings in the High Court, challenging the decision of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal in her case. As these proceedings are ongoing, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the case of the person concerned at this point in time.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
187. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the children of persons (details supplied) in Dublin 15 have residency status or qualify for consideration for naturalisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41741/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraA person is an Irish citizen from birth if at the time of his or her birth either parent was an Irish citizen and an application for an Irish passport may be made to the Passport Office at any stage. It is open to the parents of a child born in the island of Ireland on or after 1 January 2005, who did not, at the time of the child's birth, have the necessary residence in Ireland for their child to be entitled to Irish citizenship, to apply for a certificate of naturalisation for their Irish born child at any time after they themselves obtained citizenship through naturalisation. The parents referred to in the Deputy's question had their applications for a Certificate of Naturalisation granted in June 2007 and May 2012 respectively. In the absence of further details I can give only the general position.
The Deputy may wish to note that queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
188. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in the determination of entitlement to residency/naturalisation in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41742/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is a failed asylum applicant. Arising from the refusal of his asylum application, and in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the person concerned was notified, by letter dated 31st July, 2012, that the Minister proposed to make a Deportation Order in respect of him. He was given the options, to be exercised within 15 working days, of leaving the State voluntarily, of consenting to the making of a Deportation Order or of making written representations to the Minister setting out the reasons why a Deportation Order should not be made against him. In addition, he was notified of his entitlement to apply for subsidiary protection in accordance with the provisions of the European Communities (Eligibility for Protection) Regulations 2006.
The person concerned submitted an application for subsidiary protection. When consideration of this application has been completed, the person concerned will be notified in writing of the outcome. In the event that the application for subsidiary protection is refused, the position in the State of the person concerned will then be decided by reference to the provisions of Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and Section 5 of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended) on the prohibition of refoulement. All representations submitted will be fully considered before a final decision is made. Once a final decision has been made, this decision, and the consequences of the decision, will be conveyed in writing to the person concerned.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
189. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in the evaluation of the case for regularisation of residency status/eligibility for naturalisation and/or the procedures yet to be followed in this regard in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41743/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is the subject of a Deportation Order and is therefore illegally present in the State. She has been evading her Deportation since 21 February, 2012. I refer the Deputy to my reply to a previous Parliamentary Question No. 37205/13 of the 18th September, 2013. The position remains unchanged. I have previously conveyed to the Deputy, as a matter of policy, I do not intend to reward persons who have failed a very fair, thorough and comprehensive asylum process, and who have then proceeded to evade their deportation.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
