Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 October 2017
131. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when an application for long-term residency status will be approved in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45577/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that they received a request from the person concerned, in January 2015, to regularise their residency status in the State. INIS wrote directly to them, at their last known address, on three separate occasions. No response was received to these requests.
INIS will issue a further letter to this person requesting additional information and documentation in order to consider the case.
It appears that this person has no permission to be in the State. In this regard, I would draw the Deputy's attention to Section 5 of the Immigration Act 2004, which provides that no non-national may be in the State other than in accordance with the permission of the Minister. A person who contravenes this requirement is for all purposes unlawfully present in the State. A person found guilty of such an offence is liable under Section 13 of the Immigration Act 2004 to a fine not exceeding €3,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months.
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.
