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Refugee Status Applications

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 July 2019

Thursday, 11 July 2019

Ceisteanna (369)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

369. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when an application for a family to join will be considered in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31370/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that a proposal under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, Humanitarian Admissions Programme (IHAP) scheme was received from the person referred to by the Deputy.

IHAP, which operates under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, provides an opportunity to Irish citizens and persons with Convention refugee status, subsidiary protection status, and programme refugee status, who have immediate eligible family members from the current top 10 major source countries of refugees (Syrian Arab Republic, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Somalia, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Myanmar, Eritrea and Burundi) to propose to the Minister for these family members to join them in Ireland.

The IHAP programme was established to provide humanitarian admission to Ireland for 530 eligible family members of Irish citizens and those with protection status in Ireland. The first call for proposals under the Programme was made summer of 2018, and 166 people were ultimately granted permission to come to the State. A second call for proposals under the IHAP issued in December 2018, with a closing date for proposals of the 8th February 2019, with over 800 proposals received in respect of over 1700 potential beneficiaries. Processing of these proposals is ongoing.

The person concerned submitted a proposal under window one. The proposer was notified in writing of the outcome by letter dated 19 December 2018. A further proposal was received under window two of the IHAP, and a decision in respect of this proposal issued on 28th June 2019

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.

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