NOTICE FOR UNDOCUMENTED PERSONS: THE GOVERNMENT’S COMMITMENT TO CREATING “NEW PATHWAYS FOR LONG-TERM UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE”
ARE YOU UNDOCUMENTED?
DO YOU HAVE A DEPORTATION ORDER OUSTANDING AGAINST YOU?
HAVE YOU HEARD OF A POTENTIAL NEW SCHEME FOR THE UNDOCUMENTED?
The Programme For Government June 2020 committed to creating “new pathways for long-term undocumented people and their dependents meeting specified criteria to regularise their status within 18 months of the formation of the Government, bearing in mind European Union and Common Travel Area commitments.”
The Catherine Day Report published in September 2020 also recommended that the State should develop a strategy and, if necessary, enact legislation for dealing with unsuccessful international protection applicants who are deemed “non-returnable”, should not leave these people in limbo and instead should “deal with these realities and decide to grant them temporary or tolerated leave to remain,” The Day report recommends that any new legislation necessary to implement its recommendations should be in place by the end of 2021. The Day report is not binding but its contents and recommendations are “to inform” a Department of Justice White Paper which was due to be published by the end of 2020, but is now expected to be published in February 2021.
The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, recently confirmed to the Seanad on the 9th December 2020 that she is considering a scheme to regularise the position of undocumented migrants and their dependants, to allow long term undocumented persons to apply for an immigration permission. The Minister believes this could be relevant for 17,000 people in Ireland including 3,000 minors. She confirmed she has received a report in her Department in this regard, but the report has not yet been published.
We await with interest further details of the scheme and publication of this paper and the White Paper.
If you need advice in relation to any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact us by telephone on 01 671 56 18 or by email at info@dlcm.ie.
