Parliamentary Questions

660. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the legislative provisions, both through Acts of the Oireachtas and statutory instruments that will need to be put in place before the commencement of the British Irish visa scheme for the common travel area; and if she will make a... Read more

648. Deputy Patrick O’Donovan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if it is possible for an Irish national to hold dual Hungarian and Irish citizenship and for a Hungarian national to hold dual Hungarian and Irish citizenship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. Minister for... Read more

626. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the length of time broken down by years that current asylum seekers have been living in direct provision accommodation. Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald): The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my... Read more

70. Deputy Patrick O’Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made on increasing the numbers of international students studying here, as committed to in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. Minister for Education and... Read more

Question proposed: “That the Bill do now pass.” Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Deputy Richard Bruton): I thank the Deputies. There were unfortunately many detailed technical amendments on Report Stage, arising from the increasing obligation to have primary legislation to contain... Read more

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Deputy Richard Bruton): I move: “That, pursuant to Standing Order 177, Standing Order 131 is modified to permit an instruction to the Committee to which the Employment Permits (Amendment) Bill 2014 may be recommitted in respect of certain amendments,... Read more

147. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a breakdown of the number of persons who have been held in direct provision centres for more than five years, categorised by centre and the number of years. Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald):... Read more

131. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide an update on the 2012 report of the Special Rapporteur on Children in direct provision which highlighted the real risk of these children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. Minister for Justice and... Read more

130. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will support the 1,791 children in direct provision centres that are overcrowded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald): The Reception and Integration... Read more

420. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of asylum applicants awaiting a decision at first instance and on appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald): As at 31 May 2014, the number... Read more

414. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the policy and procedure in place when considering applications for visas by Chinese nationals; if she will outline those policies and procedures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. 415. Deputy Micheál Martin asked... Read more

413. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide in tabular form the number of Irish visas applied for by Chinese nationals in 2013 through the Beijing visa office and the Shanghai consulate and all other offices in 2013; the number of refusals arising from... Read more

411. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the action that has been taken to address the increasing numbers of residents in the direct provision system who are presenting with mental health issues due to stress. Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald):... Read more

410. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the plans in place to improve access to higher education and training for young persons in direct provision centres. Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald): The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my... Read more

409. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the total cost of the direct provision service nationally; and the annual cost of contracts with private providers in accommodating residents, broken down per adult and child. Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald):... Read more

406. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a breakdown of the number of persons since 2000 who have been and are currently in direct provision centres; the number of applications for asylum processed each year to date; and if she will provide a breakdown,... Read more

405. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the target processing times for applications for asylum; the number of staff tasked with processing applications and the performance against those target processing times. 407. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice... Read more

180. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the changes that have been made in relation to immigration controls for persons seeking to reside here, that is, whether a person has to have a work permit, a certain bank balance and so on before he or she can reside here; and... Read more

131. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality with regard to citizenship, if she can waive the waiting period that one has to wait if a Deputy makes strong representations on behalf of a person and believes it is a genuine situation; and if she will make a statement on the... Read more

486. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 546 of 17 June 2014, her proposals for dealing with those in the direct provision system in view of the fact that the single procedure would not benefit these people; and if she will make a statement... Read more