Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 297: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of people resident here with Irish born child status, with a breakdown by nationality; if people with this status are free to enter employment; his views on regularising their status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37981/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that a total of 16,693 applicants were granted permission to remain in the State, initially for a period of two years, under the revised arrangements for non-EEA parents of children born in Ireland prior to 1st January, 2005, known as the IBC/05 scheme. While the applicants were of many nationalities, the top six countries of origin were as follows:

To date, in excess of 14,100 applicants have been granted renewal of the IBC/05 permission for a further three years. Some 2,000 Romanian and Bulgarian citizens who were granted permission to remain under the scheme do not now have to apply to have their permission renewed.

This permission, once registered with the Garda National Immigration Bureau, entitles applicants to work in the State without the need for a work permit and to set up a business without my permission.