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Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2020

Tuesday, 30 June 2020

Ceisteanna (300, 306)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

300. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the resources she has made available regarding the enforcement of the terms and conditions attached to the locator form; the procedures in place to track and engage with persons that are non-compliant; if gardaí have arresting and or supervisory powers in relation to the locator form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13097/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

306. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she has engaged with the Minster for Health and the Garda Commissioner in respect of the use of a locator form for persons entering the State; the resources she has made available regarding the enforcement of the terms and conditions attached to the locator form; if she has consulted with the Garda Commissioner in this regard; the procedures in place to track and engage with persons that are non-compliant; if she has engaged with the Minister for Health and the Garda Commissioner in this regard; if gardaí have arresting and or supervisory powers in relation to the locator form; if not, her plans to introduce them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13198/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 300 and 306 together.

My Department agreed to undertake, on behalf of the health authorities, the collection of public health passenger locator forms on a temporary administrative basis. Any case of non-compliance are referred directly to the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) for follow up. Section 31(a) of the Health Act 1947 (as amended) provides for powers of arrest for An Garda Síochána. The Act and the regulations were brought forward by the Minister for Health.

The system of spot checks and follow up calls is being operated by officials from the Border Management Unit (BMU) of my Department and the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) on behalf of the health authorities. The BMU operate the scheme at Dublin Airport , which is the principal route through which people enter the State by air. The Garda National Immigration (GNIB) manage the compliance for the other ports after which the passenger locator forms are forwarded to the BMU in Dublin Airport, who also carry out the follow-up calls for those ports.

The BMU has established a system to follow-up on all arrivals at a proportionate rate of a minimum of 70%, after removal of the exempt categories of passengers. The cohort of passengers failing to answer initial phone calls are followed up with repeated further telephone contacts. The first calls are made two days after passengers have arrived into the State. For any passengers staying in the State for up to 14 days or more, a second call will be made on day 10 to ensure they are still residing at the address provided and self-isolating.

The BMU operates 24/7 on a split roster over two terminals in Dublin Airport, comprising of eight teams working a 12 hour shift. The current staffing numbers are as follows:

1 Assistant Principal Officer

2 Higher Executive Officers

18 Executive Officers

128 Clerical Officers.

Since the introduction of the Passenger Locator Form, every member of the Unit has been involved in the collection of passenger information and follow up phone calls to passengers.

The BMU are undertaking this role on behalf of the Department of Health until the end of June, 2020 at which time it will be necessary for BMU staff to revert to their core duty of immigrating passengers to protect and secure Ireland’s borders.

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