Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 166: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will review the case of persons (details supplied) in County Westmeath. [14474/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The first, second and third named persons, a husband, wife and dependant child, applied for asylum in the State on 5 September 2005. The third named person was included in her mother's asylum application. The fourth named person was born in the State in late 2005 and was subsequently included in her mother's asylum application. As the immigration case histories and up to date positions of the two adult asylum applications are almost identical, for the purposes of the Deputy's Question, I will deal with the two cases as one.

The applications for asylum of the persons concerned were refused following individual consideration of their cases by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Subsequently, in accordance with Section 3 of the Immigration Act, 1999 (as amended), the first and second named persons concerned were informed, by separate letters dated 19 March 2009, that the Minister proposed to make Deportation Orders in respect of them and their two children. They were given the options, to be exercised within 15 working days, of leaving the State voluntarily, of consenting to the making of Deportation Orders or of making representations to the Minister setting out the reasons why they and their children should be allowed to remain temporarily in the State. In addition, they were notified of their entitlement to apply for Subsidiary Protection in the State in accordance with the European Communities (Eligibility for Protection) Regulations, 2006 (S.I. No. 518 of 2006).

The 15 working day period referred to in my Department's letter of 19 March 2009 expires on 16 April 2009. It is open to the persons concerned to submit written representations and/or apply for Subsidiary Protection within that period. In any event, final decisions on their cases will not be made prior to the expiry of the 15 working day period referred to above.