Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 919: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if it is envisaged that an amnesty be introduced in order to deal with the large backlog of residency cases which have accrued, a possible model for such a scheme having recently been instated in the Netherlands. [20233/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I have no plans for the introduction of a general amnesty in respect of persons awaiting a decision on their immigration status in the State. Amnesties or regularisation, in my view, undermine the system of legal migration. They can exacerbate the problem of illegal migration by sending out the wrong message and give rise to a belief that further amnesties will become available in the future.