Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the way his plans for deploying civil servants from his Department as immigration officials in Dublin Airport are progressing; the number of staff been deployed; the hourly rate anticipated for their redeployment; the actual hourly rate; and if Gardaí are still allocated to these positions to work outside the hours of 9am-5pm; and the way in which this impacts on the cost savings that were originally anticipated in redeploying civil servants to this role. [42386/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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In February of this year, I introduced on a pilot basis, a project of civilianisation of certain port of entry functions at Dublin Airport. The purpose of the pilot is to test the feasibility of a new model for delivery of immigration services at ports of entry to the State by using a combination of civilian staff and member of An Garda Síochána.

I am pleased to say that the pilot has been a success in demonstrating the feasibility of the new model. The experience and learning from the pilot will form the basis for proposals to extend the model on a full scale basis to Dublin Airport, and possibly to other ports if entry to the State also. These proposals are being finalised and will, of course, be the subject of any necessary Government approval and consultation with all the parties concerned.

The pilot originally operated for 6 months and has been extended for a further period. It was never the principal intention that the pilot itself would result in savings: although, as it transpires, I understand that a result of its introduction, An Garda Síochána have been able to reassign four Garda members to other duties around the State.

The pilot, which was initiated in the context of the terms of the "Croke Park" Agreement with reference to the greater flexibility provisions in it required for the discharge of public services, involved assigning a total of three Executive Officers six (currently seven) Clerical Officers as immigration control personnel operating the passport control booths. They were appointed as immigration officers in accordance with section 3 of the Immigration Act, 2004 and assigned o the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration services (INIS).

The civilian staff undertake administrative tasks including decisions on the grant of permission to enter or refuse entry to the State to non-national in accordance with the Immigration Acts and Orders. They do not carry out any arrest or coercive functions (such as detention or removal) which remain the responsibility of An Garda Síochána. All officers selected for the pilot undergo extensive training. The staff concerned are deployed at Pier B in Terminal One between the hours of 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. No additional core pay or allowances are paid to staff during the operation of the pilot. Requirements for immigration services outside of these hours or at other locations are currently provided by An Garda Síochána who continue to preform their duties on a professional and effective manner.

While An Garda Síochána will continue to have a crucial role to play in the implementation and enforcement of immigration laws, there is the potential for greater use of civilians in the delivery of immigration services, including at ports of entry as demonstrated by the pilot. The pilot project has clearly demonstrated that and I intend to move forward on that basis.

My proposals in this area are driven with a number of goals in mind, including:

- the release of Garda members to undertake core policing functions;

- to provide a more cost effective way of providing immigration services including at ports of entry to the State;

- to deliver on the aims of the Public Service Agreement 2010 – 2014 (“Croke Park” Agreement) and the commitments therein by changing the way in which the Public Services are delivered to continue to meet the need for services and improve the experience of service users.