Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 October 2022
152. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child's call in 2016 for the Government to provide a clear and accessible legal framework to regularise the status of children and their families in irregular migration situations; if her Department plans to create such a legal framework; and if so, the details and timelines for the plan. [53683/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, when the Government formed we committed in the Programme for Government to create new pathways for long-term undocumented people and their dependents who must meet specified criteria to regularise their immigration status.
I launched the scheme for the Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants earlier this year for a 6 month period and the scheme closed for applicants on 31 July 2022.
This once in a generation scheme was designed to give long-term undocumented people without a current permission to remain in the State the chance to regularise their status, access the labour market and begin their path to citizenship. This scheme was in keeping with the 2016 recommendation by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child for the Government to provide a clear and accessible legal framework to regularise the status of children and their families in irregular migration situations.
My Department had significant engagement with the NGOs in this sector before and during the timeframe for applications and also widely advertised the scheme in advance of and during the 6 month window it was open. Additionally, a targeted media campaign was launched during the final weeks of the scheme.
All successful applicants to the scheme, over the age of 16, will be granted a Stamp 4 immigration permission. A Stamp 4 permission provides that the holder can work without permit and set up a trade or business in the State for a specified period, subject to conditions. Any period spent on a Stamp 4 permission is considered as reckonable residence when applying for citizenship by way of naturalisation.
Each received application is being assessed individually in accordance with the published criteria, available here: www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Undocumented-Policy-Scheme-January-2022.pdf
My Department recorded 6,548 applications in respect of 8,311 people under the scheme. As of 24 October 2022, the number of decisions that have issued to applicants is:
|
Total Decisions |
3,825 |
|
|
Positive |
3,750 |
98% |
|
Negative |
36 |
0.9% |
|
Withdrawn |
39 |
1.1% |
All other applications continued to be processed and processing times may vary depending on the complexity of the application. Applications where there is an existing deportation order will require additional processing.
However, if a person remains resident in the State without an immigration permission I encourage them to contact the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) or their local immigration office and to take all the appropriate steps to regularise their status. My Department examines each application to remain in the State on a case-by-case basis and has consistently urged anyone in this position to come forward if they wish to apply to regularise their immigration position in the State.
