Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 35: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if Operation Charity is still active; the number of gardaí involved; the number of persons arrested and charged to date; the cost of the operation to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24932/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by An Garda Síochána that Operation Charity is a Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) initiative to tackle the phenomenon of so-called Marriages of Convenience and which is designed to prevent and detect criminality associated with marriages suspected to have been entered into by non-EEA nationals to EU nationals for the purpose of acquiring immigration status. This Operation is still ongoing.

To date, nine (9) persons have been arrested, five of whom were attempting to evade removal from the State. The remaining four (4) were arrested on suspicion of committing criminal offences, including the offence of Bigamy and offences contrary to the Criminal Justice (Theft & Fraud Offences) Act, 2001 in relation to the possession of false documentation. An Investigation File is being prepared for the Law Officers in respect of the alleged bigamy offences; one person has been convicted of two (2) counts of possession of false instruments, with one other person currently before the Courts for similar offences. All five (5) persons attempting to evade removal from the State have since been removed, pursuant to the Dublin Convention.

I am conscious of my responsibility to ensure that the provisions of Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States are implemented appropriately to guard against possible abuses and I would strongly support the actions taken by An Garda Síochána in this regard.