Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 637: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on removing the word non-national from the Immigration Act 1999, with a view to replacing it with a more appropriate term such as foreign national or immigrant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14452/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The question of the most appropriate terminology for classifying persons as not being of Irish nationality is one which I intend to consider in the context of the forthcoming Immigration and Residence Bill. The Deputy will be cognisant of the predicament and sensitivities of categorising a cohort of people by virtue of what they are not, that is, citizens of Ireland. The Deputy will also be aware of the problem that alternative phrases which may be acceptable at present could also be viewed, in time, as pejorative terms which are inconsistent with the spirit of inclusiveness and tolerance which we wish our immigration system to reflect.