Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will supply a list of the countries he deems to be unsafe for refugees to return to; the position regarding refugees and where they can go if they have been refused asylum by this country but have also been advised by him that their place of birth is not safe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29958/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I understand the Deputy to be referring to persons who are refused refugee status but who may claim to be in need of protection on grounds other than those set out in the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the status of refugees and section 2 of the Refugee Act 1996, as amended.

Where persons are deemed not to be refugees, before issuing a deportation order their individual circumstances are considered under section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999. Consideration is also given to the non-refoulement provision in section 5 of the Refugee Act 1996, as amended, under which protection grounds other than those covered by the Geneva convention are considered. My Department uses extensive country of origin information drawn from different independent sources, including UNHCR, in evaluating the safety of making returns to third countries.

There is no list of countries which are deemed to be unsafe. The political and social circumstances in countries change and these are monitored over time and, moreover, are assessed with regard to the individual circumstances of the person concerned.