Immigrant Council Welcomes Online Appointments System for GNIB Office at Burgh Quay
– Council says online facility makes Ireland more welcoming to new arrivals; calls for system to be rolled out nationwide in advance of peak demand in August / September –
The Immigrant Council of Ireland has welcomed the introduction of an online booking system for the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) office at Dublin’s Burgh Quay. The Council has been calling for such a system for a number of years.
The new system is due to operate from Monday (25.07.16), and will enable people registering with immigration to book an appointment for a time that suits them. Up to now, those registering have had to queue in person – often for very long hours – to get a ticket for an appointment time.
Commenting today (22.07.16), Brian Killoran, Chief Executive of the Immigrant Council, said: “For far too long, people in need of work, study or re-entry visas have had to queue for hours on end to get an appointment at Burgh Quay.
“Every summer, we’ve seen the inhumane spectre of families queuing overnight and heard stories of people who’ve been in the queue for 12 hours or more, without getting an appointment time.
“The introduction of online booking for immigration appointments is long overdue. We’ve been making calls for such a system for years, in response to ever-growing concerns about the impact of the current queuing methods.
“Ireland prides itself on having a 21st Century economy and a thriving digital industry, so reports of babies and toddlers with their parents kept waiting outside in the cold, from as early as 2am, are simply not acceptable. This is needless hardship on people, and can now be easily resolved using online tools.
“We’re coming into the busiest time of year for immigration, due to the numbers of international students that arrive here every August and September. We’re delighted that online booking is finally being introduced for Burgh Quay, and we would like to see a similar system being rolled out to all GNIB offices nationwide.”
ENDS