Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 362: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the State's actions regarding any child under 18 years of age residing here if the child's parents are arrested for failing to comply with a deportation order; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32381/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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In situations where a child's parents are arrested for failing to comply with a deportation order, the arresting member of An Garda Síochána must notify the Health Service Executive, HSE, under Section 5(4)(c) of the Immigration Act 1999. The child is then placed into the care of the HSE. In a situation where only one parent is arrested and the other parent is in the State, the child would remain in the care of that other parent.

In all such cases where parents are arrested for failing to comply with a deportation order and their children are placed in the care of the HSE, arrangements are made to enforce the deportation orders at the earliest possible opportunity so as to minimise the amount of time spent in care by the child.