Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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124. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 180 of 25 November 2020, the number of the 469 deportation orders issued by the immigration service of her Department since the outbreak of Covid-19 in March 2020 that were revoked pursuant to section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended); the number of deportation orders amended pursuant to section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999; the details of amendments made; the monthly breakdown of the number of deportation orders amended or revoked pursuant to section 3(11) of the Immigration Act 1999 during this period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40550/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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A detailed consideration of all aspects of a person's case will have been carried out before a decision is made to grant permission to remain in the State or to make a Deportation Order. This includes a full consideration of their private and family rights in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights as well as consideration of their work situation, among other issues.

If a Deportation Order is subsequently made, Section 3 (11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) allows an Order to be amended or revoked by making a request to me as Minister for Justice. I encourage people to be as detailed as possible in their representations to me and my Department so that we can make fully informed decisions at the appropriate time.

Of the 469 deportation orders issued by my Department during the period since March 2020, 23 of those orders have since been revoked under the procedure I have outlined.

None of those 469 orders have subsequently been amended. It is quite rare for a deportation order to be amended. Where this happens, it is most likely to arise where an additional iteration of the person’s identity comes to light after the order has been made and the relevant order is then amended to incorporate the additional detail.

It should be noted that of the 469 Deportation Orders issued since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020, there has only been one case where the person was deported from the State. Three further deportations have been enforced since March 2020. However, in each of these three cases, the deportation order issued prior to March 2020.

Every decision to make, amend or to revoke a deportation order is taken at the highest levels of the Immigration Service of my Department. The Deputy can be assured that where any such decision is made, it is made following a comprehensive examination of the individual circumstances involved.

The overall numbers of deportation orders revoked and amended during the same period is set out in the table below. These figures will predominantly refer to deportation orders that were issued prior to March 2020.

The two deportation orders amended in that period were for the reasons outlined above.