Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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723. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the position of her Department on deportations; if her attention has been drawn to the transfer order issues to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1285/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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In line with the clear commitments both I and the Taoiseach have given, no further Deportation Orders are being enforced during the pandemic, except in circumstances where there are national security or serious public policy concerns. My Department has consistently adopted a pragmatic approach in this area in the context of Covid-19.

Transfers under the EU Dublin III Regulation are not deportations. However, in effecting any such transfers a pragmatic approach is also being adopted in the context of Covid-19.

The Dublin Regulation determines which Member State is responsible for examining an international protection application. It is based on the principle that the first Member State to facilitate entry into the EU should be responsible for examining the protection application. The objective of the Dublin Regulation is to ensure quick access to asylum procedures and the examination of an application on the merits by a single, clearly determined Member State.

Traditionally, a number of the transfer decisions made in this country have been to the UK, which was still bound by the EU Regulation until the end of 2020, under the transitional arrangements of the Withdrawal Agreement. Dublin Regulation transfers to the UK cannot now take place following the end of the transitional arrangements.

The person concerned was the subject of a transfer decision to the UK under the Dublin III Regulation. My Department provided an undertaking in this case in December 2020, which effectively meant that the person concerned would not be transferred to the UK before the end of that year.