Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2024
835. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice the number of unsuccessful applicants for protection under the International Protection Act 2015 who were deported/removed from the State in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12168/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra836. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice the amount the State spent on the removal of unsuccessful applicants for protection under the International Protection Act 2015 in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12169/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra837. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice the amount the State spent on commercial airline travel for the removal of unsuccessful applicants for protection under the International Protection Act 2015 in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12170/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra838. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice how many unsuccessful applicants for protection under the International Protection Act 2015 were given leave to remain or had their presence in the State otherwise regularised in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12171/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra841. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice how many unsuccessful applicants, after the ultimate conclusion of their protection applications, continued to enjoy access to the labour market in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12174/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra890. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice how many unsuccessful applicants for protection under the 2015 Act left Ireland in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12379/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 835 to 838, inclusive, 841 and 890 together.
I can confirm that my Department takes all necessary steps to manage the international protection process efficiently and effectively, while ensuring the integrity of those processes is maintained at all times.
I am taking a number of steps to improve how our International Protection (IP) system works. In increasing capacity and speeding up decision making, we can ensure that those who have a right to international protection are given that status as quickly as possible, and those who are found not to have a right to international protection, or other basis for remaining, return to their country of origin.
The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) is responsible for carrying out deportations. Where a person's application for international protection is refused, the person concerned is advised of this in writing and provided with the option of taking up a voluntary return arrangement. Where this option is not taken up, a deportation order is issued in respect of that person.The numbers of Deportation Orders effected by GNIB does not take account of individuals who have left the State without informing my Department. It is the case that many individuals who are subject to Deportation Orders leave the State without notifying the relevant authorities and this particular category of individual is difficult to quantify in the absence of exit checks.
While it is not possible to provide definitive figures for the number of such persons, the GNIB has reviewed a large sample of the cases subject to deportation orders and their inquiries suggest a very significant number of these individuals have left the State.
It is important to note that a deportation order requires a person to leave the State, and that a person in breach of an order can be arrested and taken into custody for the purposes of their removal.
I can also advise that once the applicant receives a decision on the IP application, either a grant or a refusal, their Labour Market Access (LMA) is no longer valid.
Determinations on International Protection applications for the years referred to by the Deputy are set out on the table below.
|
- |
Applications |
Refugee Status Grants |
Subsidiary protection grants |
Permission to remain grants |
Refusals |
Total Determinations |
|
2021 |
2,648 |
859 |
74 |
588 |
780 |
2,301 |
|
2022 |
13,646 |
1,390 |
69 |
2,077 |
867 |
4,403 |
|
2023 |
13,274 |
2,471 |
237 |
533 |
5,173 |
8,414 |
The table below shows the number of IP Deportation Orders Signed, IP Voluntary Returns and IP Deportation Orders enforced by GNIB and IP Deportations otherwise confirmed. As it is not possible to provide costs for IP deportations separately, the table below provides the cost for enforcing deportation orders made under section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) as well as under section 51 of the International Protection Act 2015:
|
Year |
Total IP Deportation Orders Signed |
Total IP Confirmed Voluntary Returns |
IP Deportation Orders enforced by GNIB (See 1 below) |
IP Deportations otherwise confirmed (See 1 below) |
Dublin iii Transfers (See 2 below) |
Costs of total deportations/removals (See 3 below) |
|
2021 |
33 |
9 |
2 |
15 |
4 |
€428,131 |
|
2022 |
546 |
35 |
17 |
38 |
3 |
€467,289 |
|
2023 |
857 |
105 |
34 |
14 |
3 |
€494,829 Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing. |
• Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.
• During the COVID- 19 Pandemic there was a moratorium on deportations. This was effective during the latter part of 2020, 2021 and for the first 8 months of 2022. During the moratorium only persons who whose presence in Ireland would be contrary to the public interest were deported. This moratorium was lifted in July 2022.
1. Numbers deported may relate to deportation orders signed in a previous year.
2. Transfer to another EU State to have their application for IP examined.
3. Total Deportation/Removals costs including the flight costs and some accommodation costs, where required, for all deportations and removals including Dublin 3 transfers, EU Removals as well as IP deportations. These figures do not include persons who made their own arrangements for removal, or the costs for people who availed of the voluntary return programmes.
The figure for costs covers flights (often through hubs and long-distance) and some accommodation costs, where required, for all removals including Dublin 3 transfers and EU Removals. A number of factors impact on costs. In particular, the costs for any particular deportation reflect the numbers travelling in each instance. In some cases a person may resist deportation and the GNIB will conduct a risk assessment to determine how many escorts are required. In addition, in cases where persons convicted of offences are being removed a higher number of escorts are typically required. Flight costs also can often be impacted by the need to make arrangements to enable escorts to return on the same flight in some instances, for the personal safety of the escorts. Travel bookings are approved on a case by case basis at senior level in both GNIB and Immigration Service Delivery (ISD). Additionally, only certain airport hubs allow deportations to be conducted which impacts on routes available and consequently the costs incurred. A final very significant contributor to costs are the additional costs incurred where flights have to be cancelled and rebooked at short notice, due to last minute legal or logistical issues. In complex cases this can arise on more than one instance in connection with an individual deportation.
