Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Irish Timespublished an interesting article by Conor Gallagher today, which highlights the 4,200 people who presented to Dublin Airport without travel documents in the past 12 months. From that there has been just one prosecution and no conviction. I fully recognise that the Geneva Convention provides that those seeking asylum do not need to present travel documents and I do not want to give the impression that I would in any way seek to send a person legitimately seeking asylum in this country away; quite the contrary is the case.

Does the Tánaiste agree that one prosecution and no convictions out of the 4,200 cases at Dublin Airport in a 12-month period is concerning? Does he accept it illustrates that we might need to review the Immigration Act 2004 to ensure the toolkit is available for immigration officials and An Garda Síochána to review such matters properly? The act of presenting without appropriate travel documents must be disincentivised, that is, if a person does so without a legitimate cause.

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