Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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248. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will consider including persons whose EU treaty rights visas have been revoked and who are now living here on precarious temporary visas in the undocumented scheme; if she will acknowledge their contributions in areas such as healthcare, hospitality, information technology, transport and engineering and their deep disappointment at not being included in the undocumented scheme; her views on the fact that many of this cohort arrived legally and have lived here for many years and deserve to be included in the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8834/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I am deeply conscious of and acknowledge the work and commitment demonstrated by all those who have contributed to our society and particularly those working in frontline services during the Covid-19 pandemic.

I was pleased to open the landmark Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants Scheme for applications on 31 January. Applications will be accepted for six months until 31 July, when the scheme will close.

This once-in-a-generation scheme is designed to give long-term undocumented people without a current permission to remain in the State, the chance to regularise their status, access the labour market and begin their path to citizenship.

Almost 2,000 applications have been received so far. This is a very positive start and I encourage anyone who may be eligible to apply.

The criteria for the scheme have been designed in line with the Programme for Government commitment, which is to bring forward a regularisation scheme to create new pathways for long-term undocumented people and their dependents. The period of four years undocumented residence, or three years in the case of applicants with children, is consistent with this commitment and has been approved by Government. This is a once-off, time bound scheme that is expected to benefit thousands of undocumented people living in Ireland. There are no plans to extend the eligibility criteria. 

Anyone who has previously held an EU Treaty Rights (EUTR) permission and who currently has a temporary permission to remain in the State while their application under the relevant legislation is being considered or is at review stage,  would not be considered to be undocumented. Therefore, they will not meet the criteria for the Scheme.

People whose EUTR applications are currently in a process that will decide their future status within the State, will be granted permissions under the EU Regulations e.g. 5 years residence or permanent residence, if successful.  This includes people who currently have applications at EUTR review stage. As a result, people in the EUTR process already have a means to decide their future status in the State.