Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 April 2022
591. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 332 of 22 March 2022, the number of applications for the undocumented migrants scheme that have been received to date; the number that have been approved to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18378/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra625. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Justice the number of applications for the undocumented migrants scheme that have been received to date; the number that have been approved to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18294/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 591 and 625 together.
The main scheme for the Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants opened for applications on 31 January 2022. The separate strand for international protection applicants who have been in the asylum process for a minimum of two years opened a week later on 7 February 2022.
There has been a very positive level of engagement with the scheme since it opened, with approximately 5,000 applications made to date to the two strands.
My Department committed to making the online application process as simple and as straightforward as possible and because of this is now in a position to issue the first positive decisions just two months in. Around 250 positive decisions have issued under the two strands in recent days and processing of all other applications remains ongoing. Permission letters have started to arrive in homes across the country with life changing news for those receiving them and their families. I want to congratulate everyone who has received a letter and to thank them for trusting us and coming forward to regularise their position in the State. This is just the start and we will see more decisions and permissions issuing in the coming weeks.
It is very important that people who are eligible do not miss out on the opportunity to apply to this scheme. To build on the early momentum and continue raising awareness of the scheme, my Department will run a targeted communications campaign in the coming weeks to reach out to migrant communities likely to benefit from the scheme to encourage them to consider applying.
My Department is also continuing to engage with the NGO community and other stakeholders who have played and will continue to play a key role in building confidence in the scheme among the more vulnerable members of those migrant communities. I hope seeing these first positive decisions issuing will encourage more people to apply for what is truly a once-in-a-generation opportunity to regularise their status in the State.
I encourage all undocumented migrants who are eligible to apply for the main scheme to do so before the closing date of 31 July 2022. Applications can be made online at: inisonline.jahs.ie. Further details regarding the qualifying criteria, the required documentation, and how to apply for the scheme are available on my Department's immigration website at: www.irishimmigration.ie/regularisation-of-long-term-undocumented-migrant-scheme. The International Protection Office of my Department has written to approximately 4,000 potentially eligible applicants inviting them to apply. Over 1,300 people from this cohort have applied so far. This strand of the scheme is open for applications until 7 August 2022. Further information can be found on the website of the IPO at: www.ipo.gov.ie/en/ipo/pages/whatsnew.
