Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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130. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the criteria that are used for selecting refugees; the way in which persons are prioritised; and when the resettlement programme will begin in Mullingar. [16240/17]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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In respect of Ireland's resettlement programme, refugees are identified and proposed to Ireland by the UNHCR. They must meet the criteria set out in Article 1F of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (“the Geneva Convention”) and be deemed eligible for resettlement by the UNHCR. Refugees are interviewed by the resettlement team in the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration in my Department to establish that Ireland can meet their particular needs, including medical needs. They are also interviewed by members of An Garda Síochána and their fingerprints are checked against international databases for security reasons.

Resettlement to Mullingar is planned to take place before the summer but precise dates have not yet been finalised.