Written answers

Thursday, 25 March 2010

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Illegal Immigrants

5:00 pm

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 55: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons illegally resident here in breach of immigration law. [13024/10]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

A foreign national who remains present in the State without permission or in contravention of the terms of a permission is in breach of Irish immigration law. In general, such persons may have entered the State either through covert means or through the use of false documentation at a port of entry or they may have entered lawfully but remained beyond the duration of a permission given or have breached the conditions attaching to their permission.

With regard to the number of such persons present in the State, I would refer the Deputy to my answer to Parliamentary Question No. 568 of 19th January, 2010. As I indicated in that response, it is internationally accepted that it is very difficult to estimate with any accuracy the number of illegal migrants in any jurisdiction at a particular time. This is due to the clandestine and covert nature of the activity. Having regard to the difficulty in gathering reliable statistics of this nature, there is little to be gained from my providing what would amount to a guess at the relevant figure for Ireland.

At EU level an overall estimate in the ranges 4.5 to 8 million persons has been made. A person who is illegally present in Ireland and who wishes to regularise his or her position is expected to leave the State voluntarily and may then seek to return through the legal channels. Of course, it is open to a person who is illegally present in the State to bring their case to the attention of the immigration authorities at any time.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.