Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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123. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of times section 81 of the International Protection Act 2015 has been used by An Garda Síochána or immigration officers to refuse entry or leave to land since the Act came into force. [52552/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I can inform the Deputy that the above grounds under section 4(3) of the Immigration Act 2004 (as inserted by section 81(b) of the International Protection Act 2015) has not been invoked to date.

The provision was created as a response to strong evidence that persons who had prior legal residence or permission to enter another territory of the Common Travel Area (CTA) were entering the State and in many cases making applications for protection solely for the purpose of prolonging their stay in the CTA. The fact that it has yet to be invoked may indicate that it has been effective as a deterrent to this form of abuse of the protection system and the CTA.

This provision will remain in place to be utilised should it prove necessary to protect the integrity of the Common Travel Area and the international protection process.