Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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681. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the full vetting process of all those seeking international protection in the State; the way international protection applicants and asylum seekers can be granted asylum in the State if they have been charged with a criminal offence in another EU jurisdiction; the way the vetting process works or may have failed in such a scenario; how the GNIB has said that there is no such thing as an unvetted migrant here given clear evidence that those who have committed crimes elsewhere have been granted asylum in this State; if he will urgently review the work of the GNIB in vetting all those seeking asylum to ensure that full and rigorous vetting procedures are in place; the permissions granted to those seeking asylum where there is a criminal record or the person has been charged with an offence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7812/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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It is a central priority for me as Minister that our immigration laws are robust and enforced.

The establishment of a person’s identity and nationality is an important feature of our immigration process in general. When it comes to international protection applicants, each person that enters the process is fingerprinted and photographed. These fingerprints are checked against EURODAC, an EU database which stores the fingerprints of asylum applicants and those who have been found to cross borders illegally.

In addition to checks specifically on those applying for international protection, each and every person arriving at a port of entry in the state is subject to Schengen Information System (SIS) check. Under this system Ireland sends and receives SIS II information (termed ‘Alerts’) on persons and objects; for example persons wanted for criminal purposes, missing persons and objects which have been stolen or are wanted as evidence for a judicial purpose.

Criminal convictions are considered when processing an international protection application. As part of this, character and conduct checks are carried out before applicants can be granted any permission to remain in the State. An Garda Síochána notify the Department of matters which may be relevant to its considerations. My Department maintains ongoing contact with An Garda Síochána in relation to any such individuals and it is a priority to seek the removal or deportation of any person posing a threat to public safety or security.