Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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433. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality whether an assessment has been carried out by his Department to determine whether the International Protection Office on Mount Street Lower, Dublin 2, is an appropriate and-or safe place to process applicants for international protection in light of the significant increase in numbers making applications at that office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22558/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can assure you that the health and wellbeing of all people who apply for international protection is of the highest priority to me and my Department, as is the health and safety of the staff working in the International Protection Office (IPO).

The IPO buildings have fire safety certificates which guide the appropriate use of space. The numbers of individuals accessing Timberlay House is actively managed on a daily basis to ensure that it is safe at all times.

Due to an increase in the number of new international protection applications over recent months, since 10 April 2024, the IPO has been operating a second location for registering families accompanied by children at Citywest Convention Centre, Saggart, Co. Dublin.

The Citywest facility has greater capacity to process families with children and is equipped to handle large groups of people. A large family waiting area and a child-friendly space is available, alongside private rooms for vulnerability assessments. Staff from Citywest and the IPO are supported by local volunteers. Applicants are assisted by cultural mediators from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Interpreters are on site to work with applicants in completing their forms.

Since the Citywest processing site opened (to Friday, May 17), some 1,007 applicants have made their applications at this location.

Single applicants continue to have their applications processed at Timberlay House, Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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434. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality whether immigration officials within her Department are monitoring the transportation of international protection applicants from Northern Ireland to Ireland; whether those transporting the applicants are breaching any immigration laws; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22559/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Border Management Unit (BMU) of my Department has responsibility for frontline immigration duties at Dublin Airport only. Other airports and other ports of entry, including the land border with Northern Ireland, are the responsibility of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).

Ireland and the United Kingdom share a common interest in the effective operation of the Common Travel Area (CTA), and work together to prevent any abuses of the CTA. There is extensive engagement and cooperation at all levels between my Department’s officials and their Home Office counterparts, as well as significant operational cooperation between the Gardaí, UK Border Force, UK policing services and the PSNI. This strong practical engagement and cooperation serves the mutual interests of both Ireland and the United Kingdom, and will continue.

The Common Travel Area Forum (CTAF) acts as a steering committee for the ongoing work of protecting the CTA in relation to free movement of its citizens between both countries while at the same time ensuring that the CTA is not abused by those not entitled to avail of it. The CTAF endeavours to facilitate a joint approach resolve abuses and limit opportunities available to those that try to take advantage of CTA arrangements for criminal purposes. Such issues of cooperation between An Garda Síochána, my own Department and our UK colleagues highlight the existing strong ties between North & South and East & West. This includes a number of ongoing operations, in co-operation with the UK, tackling abuses of the CTA by identifying illegal secondary movement patterns within the CTA and taking effective actions to disrupt abuse of those routes.

Maintaining the integrity of the immigration system, involves robust controls to prevent illegal entry. In 2021 our legislation was strengthened to combat people smuggling both into Ireland and into other countries (including EU Member States and parties to the UN Protocol against people smuggling). The Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act 2021 widened the range of scenarios covered by our laws, including intentionally assisting entry, transit or presence where the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe that it is in breach of specified immigration law provisions. An Garda Síochána is responsible for assessing and investigating any possible breaches of these or other laws.