John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 172: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans he has to provide a permanent immigration unit at Ireland West Airport, Knock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22158/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Members of An Garda Siochana from Swinford Garda District are deployed on immigration duty at Ireland West Airport every day and local Garda Management has arrangements in place to ensure that Immigration Officers monitor all flights into the airport and the situation remains under constant review.

In deciding the number of personnel to be assigned to immigration control duties at Ports of Entry to the State, and the manner in which they are to be deployed, cognisance is taken of such issues as: throughput of passengers, the frequency of their arrival on particular routes, the jurisdictions from which they travel, and the result of any risk assessment completed with a view to establishing the extent to which illegal immigrants are likely to target a particular Port of Entry, route, flight or sailing.

While local Garda management is satisfied that the immigration service being provided at present at Ireland West Airport is adequate to meet current demands, the establishment of a full-time immigration Unit at Ireland West Airport is also being considered by the Garda authorities.