Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the update. It is important today to acknowledge the work of both the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on undocumented migrants. It will have an important effect on asylum seekers. Undocumented migrants who have been here for four years are being given today a once-in-a-generation amnesty to remain here and have their status regularised. It will affect 17,000 people, including 3,000 children. This is welcome because, in the discussions with the various migrant groups and the Department leading up to this, I lobbied to bring asylum seekers into the process. With regard to the systems for asylum seekers who have been in the State in a documented way and people who have been here in an undocumented way, for various reasons, there had to be some measure of parity of treatment. I am glad asylum seekers have been included. How many will be affected? I believe the arrangement pertains to people who have been here for two years. It will have an effect on the Minister's dismantling work. How many asylum seekers does the Minister believe will benefit from the important announcement of the Government today?

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