Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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135. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who agreed to voluntary repatriation under section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999, by nationality, in 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; if they were asylum related or non-asylum related; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24565/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am advised that the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department, in conjunction with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), offers voluntary assisted return and re-integration programmes for asylum seekers, failed asylum seekers and other illegally present migrants.

Asylum seekers or failed asylum seekers who have not had a Deportation Order made in respect of them can be assisted to return to their country of origin under the Voluntary Assisted Return and Re-integration Programme (VARRP). Other illegally present migrants can be assisted to return to their country of origin under the Irregular Voluntary Assisted Return and Re-integration Programme (IVARRP), which is co-funded by the EU on a 75/25 basis.

Under these programmes, the flights home for such persons are paid and, where required, the IOM will assist in securing travel documents and will also give assistance at the points of departure and arrival. Persons availing of these programmes can apply for re-integration assistance to allow them to start up a business or enter further education or training when they are back in their country of origin. This takes the form of an 'in-kind' support rather than a cash payment.

In addition to the two IOM based programmes referred to above, I am advised that my Department also assists people who are illegally present in the State and wish to return home voluntarily by covering the cost of the return flight, if necessary, and assisting in securing travel documentation.

The statistical information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tables. The top five nationalities are given.