Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 661: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons in the immigration section of his Department who were deployed after January 2005 to the Irish-born child unit; the number of whom have since been redeployed, and to which units; the number remaining in the Irish-born child unit; when he anticipates their redeployment and to which units; and when he expects the processing times for applications of other types to be reduced as a result of redeployment of the Irish-born child unit staff to the units processing these other applications. [10616/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Irish-born child unit was set up in late 2003 in my Department to consider applications for leave to remain from the parents of Irish-born children. The unit was staffed by way of a levy on other Departments. No staff dealing with immigration work in my Department were assigned to work in the Irish-born child unit.

Around 50 staff were involved in the processing of applications. The work of the unit has now ceased and most of the staff involved have returned to their parent Departments. A small number of staff have been retained within the Irish naturalisation and immigration service.