Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has confirmed to Independent TD Carol Nolan that approximately 315 unaccompanied minors arrived at Dublin Airport who subsequently indicated they wished to register as Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs).
The numbers refer to the period from the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The minister was responding to a parliamentary question from the Laois Offaly TD where she asked if the Department of Justice could provide data on the number of unaccompanied minors who have arrived at Dublin Airport for each of the years 2019 to date; the procedures followed by the Department or the border management unit and the Garda National Immigration Bureau when an unaccompanied minor child enters the state without correct identification or no identification.
The total number of unaccompanied children who have arrived at Dublin Airport since 2019 amounts to 588. This included 97 children who claimed international protection in 2022 and 70 such children in 2023.
From January to March of this year a total of 35 children have arrived at Dublin Airport (12 IPAS) (23 BOPTs):
“This is a profoundly serious matter as it relates to extremely vulnerable children arriving here on their own in circumstances that are wide-open to exploitation,” said Deputy Nolan.
“Indeed, we know from research conducted by the European Union Agency for Asylum that unaccompanied children in this category are routinely exposed to increased risks as they may have possibly witnessed extreme forms of violence, exploitation, trafficking in human beings, physical and psychological and sexual abuse before and/or after their arrival in an EU member state.”
“We also know from reporting on this matter by journalists such as Jack Power at the Irish Times there are major concerns around the lack of oversight in Tusla’s management of reports to gardaí of suspected abuse of unaccompanied minors in State care who had come from Ukraine and other countries seeking asylum.”
“I have consistently highlighted my concerns around these matters in the Dáil and with the relevant Minister and I will continue to do so,” concluded Deputy Nolan.