Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the proposed new centralised immigration service will publish a customer charter; his views on whether it should adopt a customer service type culture more commonly found in the private sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8484/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Government has approved the establishment of the Irish naturalisation and immigration service, INIS, which will be an executive office within the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. A primary aim of the executive office will be to improve the customer services provided to migrants. It will incorporate the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform's current structures dealing with asylum, immigration and citizenship.

The practical arrangements necessary to set up this executive office will be implemented over the course of 2005. There are currently customer service charters operating in the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. The Department itself will publish its customer service charter shortly. It is intended that the INIS will initially operate under these existing customer service charters and consideration will be given to appropriate arrangements for the future.