Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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143. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if a temporary travel document and return of their national passport will issue in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Louth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2082/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that, in response to a notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the person concerned has submitted written representations. These representations, together with all other information and documentation on file, will be fully considered, under Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and Section 5 of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended) on the prohibition of refoulement, in advance of a final decision being made.

I am advised also that in exceptional cases an application for a temporary Irish Travel Document may be considered in respect of qualifying non-Irish nationals who are resident in Ireland. In all such cases, however, the INIS must first be satisfied that there is no alternative open to the applicant before a temporary Irish Travel Document will be issued. In the context of the person concerned, they would have to show that they have made reasonable and formal efforts to obtain a national passport, that it has been formally and unreasonably refused and that their own consular authorities are unable to offer consular assistance to them whilst resident in the State.

I am advised that the INIS has no record of having received an application for a temporary Irish Travel Document from the person concerned. It is, however, open to the person concerned to submit such an application, accompanied by the relevant supporting documentation. Any such application should be addressed to the INIS' Travel Document Unit, Residence Division, Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, Department of Justice and Equality, 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2. Detailed information on the application process and the relevant application form is available on the INIS Website - www.inis.gov.ie.

I am advised that the passport of the person concerned is not held on their immigration case file.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.