Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

I have raised the issue of the exercise, or perhaps more correctly the non-exercise, by the Tánaiste of a specific executive function bestowed on him by the Immigration Act 1999. As is clear from the question, I wish to know how many serious criminals, who should at least have been considered by him or his predecessor for deportation, having served a term of imprisonment, are roaming the countryside. The Tánaiste does not appear to know and the House does not know. The House cannot know as I raised the issue in a series of nine parliamentary questions before the recess and did not get the information. I am not getting the information now. Having failed to get it through the parliamentary process, I raised it by way of a freedom of information request. I was advised by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform that I would have a decision by 1 September.

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