Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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242. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to outline what inter-agency coordination currently exists between his Department, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the National Cyber Security Centre in respect of the threat of foreign state influence and espionage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55933/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) was brought under the remit of my Department in June this year, as part of the Government’s commitment to ensuring the proper alignment of our national security infrastructure.

The NCSC is responsible for the State's Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT-IE) function. CSIRT-IE is an internationally accredited response team with its main function being the enhancement of situational awareness for constituents and for the provision of incident response for national cyber security incidents. It is also the lead state agency in relation to the management of major cyber security incidents across Government. The NCSC is therefore involved in a number of coordination mechanisms across Government on cyber security related matters, including with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Programme for Government 2025 - Securing Ireland's Future, acknowledges that this is a period characterised by geopolitical upheaval and challenges to democracy, with threats arising from the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape across the world. In this context, the Government committed to the implementation of a number of measures relating to defence, justice and cyber, and improved co-ordination of national security.

As part of this work, the Taoiseach established a new Ministerial Council on National Security which he chairs. The membership includes the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and for Defence and myself as Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

The Council considers strategic national security developments; reviews progress on delivery of the Government’s national security commitments and measures; and considers reports on the security situation and security threat levels.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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245. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to his Department’s recent information campaign offering enhanced voluntary return payments to persons in the international protection process, the total number of persons to whom the offer applies; the projected gross and net Exchequer cost, by month and by payment band; the safeguards in place to prevent duplicate or ineligible claims; the key performance indicators being used to evaluate uptake and outcomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55975/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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It is a central priority for me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based. Returning people who do not have permission to remain in Ireland is undertaken through voluntary returns and deportation. Both types of returns are essential for the system to work effectively and to ensure that there is confidence in the application of our legislation in this area.

It is the preferred option to return people voluntarily, and my Department has a voluntary return programme to assist people to return prior to the issuance of a deportation order. It is important to note that a person can only avail of voluntary return before a deportation order is issued. In 2024, 934 people left Ireland by way of voluntary return. This year 1,244 people have left up to 10 October 2025, which is an increase of 105% compared to the same period in 2024.

Part of the voluntary return process is reintegration assistance. The current level of reintegration assistance offered is up to €1,200 per person and €2,000 per family unit. Last month, I announced that for a limited time, people who were in the International Protection process before 28 September 2025, will be offered increased reintegration assistance if they choose to avail of voluntary return at an earlier stage in the process. Anyone who applies for International Protection after this date, will not be eligible for the enhanced reintegration supports.

The increased assistance level will be offered to everyone in the International Protection process before 28 September 2025; at the end of September 2025, there were almost 34,000 applications pending at different stages of the international protection process.

This means if a person decides to opt for voluntary return up to receiving a first instance decision or before appealing a negative first instance decision their assistance will be increased to €2,500 per person to a maximum of €10,000 per family unit. If they are in the appeals process and decide to voluntary return up to an appeal decision issuing their assistance will increase, but to the lower amount of €1,500 per person and to a maximum of €6,000 per family unit. If they receive a final decision on their application, assistance will only increase for families to a maximum of €3,000 per family unit.

Increasing reintegration assistance for those at an earlier stage in the process is aimed at reducing the costs to the State and pressure on the system from the high numbers of applications received in 2023 and 2024. My officials have reviewed a wide range of arrangements across the EU and the higher levels of support are considered to be generally in line with EU norms in this area.

There are strict safeguards in place for reintegration assistance it can only be availed of once and only provided when the person’s departure from the State is confirmed. The reintegration allowance is administered only in the country of return and my Department can stop the payment if it believes the allowance is at risk of being misused.

People leaving under the voluntary programme are required to provide my officials with documentary evidence that they have left within three days of their arrival in their home country. This can include evidence of flight tickets, boarding passes, the bio-data page of their passports and the re-entry stamp in their passport with the passport number clearly shown.

In many instances, those availing of voluntary return will also be met by officials from my Department or by IOM, to ensure that their return journey is facilitated through Dublin Airport and that their departure is confirmed.

Further information and evidence will be requested if the supporting documentation submitted is not sufficient to confirm that the person has left the State. People who do not submit the required documentation within the timeframes are advised that their cases will be reverted for further processing which may result in a deportation order issuing if the person is not confirmed to have left the State.

Calculating the projected costs for people departing under the programme is complex given the number of variables. However, I can assure the Deputy if people leave earlier and voluntarily this will cost the State significantly less than removing a person by enforced deportation after a final decision has issued, including having regard to accommodation, processing and other costs.

I will be carefully monitoring its operation to ensure this programme it is working effectively and as intended.