The Department of Environment has questioned what impact the number of asylum-seekers likely to be granted residency here on the basis of having an Irish-born child will have on housing waiting lists, writes Carl O'Brien
The Supreme Court ruled last January that non-EU immigrants did not have a right to reside in Ireland solely because they were parents of Irish citizen children.
However, there are almost 11,000 people whose applications on this basis are outstanding, and the Government is due to announce shortly on how it will respond to the ruling.
Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show the Department of Environment has sought to know how many non-nationals should be included on local authority waiting lists. Latest figures show there are 48,000 households, a figure which homeless groups say is equivalent to around 140,000 people.
Of the 48,000 households seeking local authority housing, around 2,400 of these represent refugees who have been granted asylum. Those without refugee status are not included on official figures.
A spokesperson for the Department of Environment yesterday said the Government's decision on how to respond to the Supreme Court ruling may not have a major effect on housing waiting lists and the numbers were needed for planning purposes. "Some of them may go into private rented accommodation and others might even be able to buy a house, it depends," a spokesperson said.
Mr McDowell has ruled out any mass deportations and has said each case is likely to be considered on an individual basis. He has also indicated that the length of time parents of Irish citizen children have been residing in the State would be a key factor in considering residency applications. A Government decision on how it will respond to the ruling is expected next month when Mr McDowell is due to bring a memorandum to Cabinet on the subject.
Where the Minister proposes to deport a person who is the parent of an Irish-born child, they will be given an opportunity to appeal the decision on humanitarian grounds. These grounds include parentage of an Irish-born child.
Waiting lists for local authority housing have increased dramatically in recent years. Over the past two years, there has been a 35 per cent rise in the number of households on the local authority lists.