Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 422: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Romanian and Bulgarian nationals registered here in each of the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34315/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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All European Union citizens coming to Ireland, including Bulgarian and Romanian nationals, are subject to the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) (No.2) Regulations 2006 and 2008. Those regulations transposed into Irish law the European Directive 2004/38/EC on the rights of the citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States and came into effect in April 2006.

It is open to family members of EU citizens, which may also include Romanian or Bulgarian citizen family members, to seek residence permission under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2006 and 2008 should they so wish.

As the Deputy is probably aware EU citizens are not subject to the registration requirements under section 9 of the Immigration Act, 2004.

The following Tables provide details of Romanian and Bulgarian nationals registered by An Garda Síochána prior to 1 January 2007 and those which sought residence permission under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) regulations 2006 and 2008.

The numbers of Romanian and Bulgarian nationals registered with An Garda Síochána are as follows:

Romanian Bulgaria 2003* 5356 1229 2004 5594 1180 2005 6995 1194 2006 7275 1334 2007** 6297 966 2008 1592 186 2009 952 142 2010 493 89 Note: * 2003 is the first full year for which computer records for registrations are available. ** On the 1st January 2007 both Romania and Bulgaria became Member States of the European Union and their citizens are no longer required to register with An Garda Síochána. The registration figures for the years after that reflect the numbers of those citizens, the majority of whom, received long term registrations in the year prior to 2007.

Applications for residence permission under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) regulations 2006 and 2008.

EU Treaty Rights Section applications from persons from Romania or Bulgaria

Figures relate to the year in which the decision to approve was made, not the year of application.

Applications approved on review are excluded from the above tables.