Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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601. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who were refused immigration clearance by Garda immigration officers at Shannon Airport in 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form. [50080/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, every State has a duty to protect its borders and to ensure that all arriving passengers are entitled to enter the State. This is a fundamental exercise of State sovereignty, which is necessary to protect the security of the State and to prevent illegal immigration. The exercise of powers in this area is at all times subject to the law and to respect for individual rights.

The Border Management Unit (BMU) of my Department has responsibility for frontline immigration duties at Dublin Airport only. Other ports of entry are the responsibility of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).

I have sought the information requested from the Garda Commissioner and I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.