Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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102. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current or potential residency status in the case of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46408/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that if an application for International Protection has been made in the State, for confidentiality reasons it is not the practice to comment on it. Under Section 26 of the International Protection Act 2015, it is an offence to identify an international protection applicant. The offence is punishable by summary conviction to a Class A fine or a term of imprisonment of 12 months or both. In this case, I can neither confirm nor deny that the persons in question have applied for international protection.

If they have applied for international protection, they or their designated legal advisor or advisors should contact the International Protection Office (IPO) directly in relation to their application, either by email to info@ipo.gov.ie, by telephone to the IPO Customer Service Centre at 01 6028008 ,or in writing to Customer Service Centre, International Protection Office, 79-83 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.

If they have received a negative recommendation from the IPO and have appealed it to the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT), they should contact the IPAT in relation to their appeal application. The IPAT operates an email service that can be contacted by individuals with any queries regarding their application - info@protectionappeals.ie.

If they have not yet applied for international protection, and wish to do so, they are advised to make an application to the International Protection Office.

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.