Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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631. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding immigration; the preparation in place to help tackle the crisis in Europe; and her plans for the future in this regard. [31154/15]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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644. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of refugees from Syria and other places in the Middle East and North Africa she intends to allow here. [31474/15]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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645. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to provide accommodation for refugees from the Middle East; if direct provision will not be used for these refugees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31475/15]

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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648. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality with regard to the current refugee crisis facing every European member state, her plans to increase the staff levels at the offices of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service in order to ensure faster decision-making and turnaround for applicants in the system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31551/15]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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649. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the method by which accommodation will be procured for the refugees that the Government has decided to allow into the country as a result of the recent crisis in the Middle East and in Syria, in particular; if it will be by open tender; if the Office of Government Procurement will be handling the process; the way persons or companies with accommodation to offer should apply to make this accommodation available to her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31648/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 631, 644, 645, 648 and 649 together.

Ireland has always lived up to its international humanitarian obligations and we are fully committed to playing our part in addressing the current migrant crisis facing Europe.

The Government is committed to working at European level to find sustainable solutions to the migration crisis. This humanitarian crisis is an EU issue which requires a coordinated EU response and I have made it clear to our European partners that Ireland will work closely and collaboratively with them in this regard.

As part of the Government's response to the crisis, I brought proposals to Government which were considered and agreed at a special Cabinet meeting on 10 September. A multifaceted approach is being adopted including the following measures:

- establishing the Irish Refugee Protection Programme which will provide international protection for up to 4,000 persons overall under Resettlement and Relocation Programmes. It is expected that these numbers will be augmented by further family reunifications. The first arrivals under the Programme are expected by year end. The number of persons in need of international protection will be kept under review;

- establishing a new cross-departmental Taskforce, chaired by my Department, to deal with the operational and logistical aspects of the support programme. The Taskforce, which has already had its first meeting, will adopt a whole of Government approach and will work with NGOs, religious bodies, local authorities and the Red Cross to implement the Government's response to this crisis;

- engaging with the public on their pledges of support. The Red Cross will lead this task;

- establishing a network of Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres for the initial reception of those arriving under the relocation programme;

- introduce the International Protection Bill as a major priority; and

- providing an additional package of processing resources to deal with major increases in asylum and other immigration cases, including the relocation measure, preparation for the Single Protection application process and increased enforcement across a number of areas, including removals.

The resettlement programme for those coming from mostly Lebanon and predetermined as refugees by the UNHCR has already commenced and the first Syrians have arrived. The first group of Relocation asylum seekers from Italy and Greece are expected to arrive later this year. Of the first overall allocation of 40,000 formally approved at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 14 September 2015, Ireland has agreed to take a total of 600.

Further discussions are ongoing at EU level and I will be attending a further emergency meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council today in advance of an EU Summit to be held tomorrow. At today's meeting it is hoped that agreement at EU level can be reached on the relocation of a further 120,000 asylum seekers from countries in Southern Europe. Ireland has indicated that it will, subject to Oireachtas approval, opt-in to this measure.

Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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632. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the actions being taken to deal with the humanitarian situation in Europe (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31156/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I would refer the Deputy to my composite response today to Parliamentary Questions 631, 644, 645, 648 and 649 which outlines the Government's comprehensive response to the current migration crisis.