International Protection Act 2015

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Permission to remain

49. (1) Where a recommendation referred to in section 39 (3)(c) is made in respect of an application, the Minister shall consider, in accordance with this section, whether to give the applicant concerned a permission under this section to remain in the State (in this section referred to as a “permission”).

(2) For the purposes of his or her consideration under this section, the Minister shall have regard to—

(a) the information (if any) submitted by the applicant under subsection (6), and

(b) any relevant information presented by the applicant in his or her application for international protection, including any statement made by him or her at his or her preliminary interview and personal interview.

(3) In deciding whether to give an applicant a permission, the Minister shall have regard to the applicant’s family and personal circumstances and his or her right to respect for his or her private and family life, having due regard to—

(a) the nature of the applicant’s connection with the State, if any,

(b) humanitarian considerations,

(c) the character and conduct of the applicant both within and (where relevant and ascertainable) outside the State (including any criminal convictions),

(d) considerations of national security and public order, and

(e) any other considerations of the common good.

(4) The Minister, having considered the matters referred to in subsections (2) and (3), shall decide to—

(a) give the applicant a permission, or

(b) refuse to give the applicant a permission.

(5) The Minister shall notify, in writing, the applicant concerned and his or her legal representative (if known) of the Minister’s decision under subsection (4), which notification shall be accompanied by a statement of the reasons for the decision.

(6) An applicant—

(a) may, at any stage prior to the preparation of the report under section 39 (1) in relation to his or her application, submit information that would, in the event that subsection (1) applies to the applicant, be relevant to the Minister’s decision under this section, and

(b) shall, where he or she becomes aware, during the period between the making of his or her application and the preparation of such report, of a change of circumstances that would be relevant to the Minister’s decision under this section inform the Minister, forthwith, of that change.

(7) Where the Tribunal affirms a recommendation referred to in section 39 (3)(c) made in respect of an application, the Minister shall, upon receiving information from an applicant in accordance with subsection (9), review a decision made by him or her under subsection (4)(b) in respect of the applicant concerned.

(8) Subsections (2) to (5) shall apply to a review under subsection (7), subject to the modification that the reference in subsection (2)(a) to information submitted by the applicant under subsection (6) shall be deemed to include information submitted under subsection (9) and any other necessary modifications.

(9) An applicant, for the purposes of a review under subsection (7), and within such period following receipt by him or her under section 46 (6) of the decision of the Tribunal as may be prescribed under subsection (10) —

(a) may submit information that would have been relevant to the making of a decision under paragraph (b) of subsection (4) had it been in the possession of the Minister when making such decision, and

(b) shall, where he or she becomes aware of a change of circumstances that would have been relevant to the making of a decision under subsection (4)(b) had it been in the possession of the Minister when making such decision, inform the Minister, forthwith, of that change.

(10) The Minister may prescribe a period for the purposes of subsection (9) and, in doing so, shall have regard to the need for fairness and efficiency in the conduct of a review under this section.

(11) (a) A permission given under this section shall be deemed to be a permission given under section 4 of the Act of 2004 and that Act shall apply accordingly.

(b) A reference in any enactment to a permission under section 4 of the Act of 2004 shall be deemed to include a reference to a permission given under this section.