Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 539: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position in relation to an application for asylum in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14988/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, (ORAC), determined on 2 January, 2007, in accordance with the terms of the Dublin II Regulation, Council Regulation (EC) No. 343/2003, that the United Kingdom is responsible for examining the asylum application of the person concerned. The Dublin II Regulation is intended to prevent the phenomenon of 'asylum shopping' across Europe and sets out criteria for determining which Regulation State is responsible for examining an asylum application where applications have been lodged in more than one Regulation State or whereby an asylum seeker has been granted a visa to enter another Regulation State and has entered that other State before entering Ireland and making an asylum application here. At the same time, it guarantees applicants that one State will process their application, thereby preventing the creation of 'refugees in orbit', a situation which had previously pertained in Europe.

The person concerned was requested to present to the Garda National Immigration Bureau, (GNIB), on Thursday 18 January, 2007, at 14.30hrs to make arrangements for his transfer to the United Kingdom where he had previously made an asylum application. He failed to present as requested and is now recorded as having evaded his transfer. He is currently illegally present in this State and is liable to be arrested and detained without further notice. He should make himself known to Garda National Immigration Bureau or the Gardaí without further delay so that arrangements can be made for his transfer to the United Kingdom.