P 131653Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY DUBLIN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9887
NVC PORTSMOUTH 0349
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
INFO AMCONSUL BELFAST 
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS DUBLIN 000120 
 
 
FOR DEPT FOR CA/FPP 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KFRD CVIS CPAS CMGT ASEC EI
SUBJECT:  FRAUD SUMMARY - IRELAND 
 
A) Country Conditions 
 
Ireland is a modern, technologically advanced nation, attracting 
investment from both Irish and foreign investors.  Ireland is 
suffering from the global credit crunch and economic downturn 
particularly due to an over-reliance on the building industry during 
the years of the Celtic Tiger.  Over the last six months the country 
has tumbled into recession.  Each day brings more news of cutbacks, 
closures and redundancies affecting every business mode.  The 
banking sector is being rocked by scandals, with accusations of 
cronyism and outright corruption between banks, investors and 
politicians.  Unemployment has increased sharply, with 26,500 new 
entries on the unemployment register in February 2009, for a total 
of 353,000 registered unemployed, which does not count the 
underemployed.  Some estimate that one third of all unemployed are 
third-country nationals.  The government has announced there will be 
a supplementary budget in April 2009 to begin to address the issues. 
 
Ireland remains a low-fraud post with a large professional and 
established third-country national workforce.   The number of asylum 
seekers coming to Ireland has dropped in recent years due to the 
availability of jobs, tightening controls, amendments to Irish law 
(denying non-national parents of Irish born children the right to 
live in the State by virtue of having an Irish-born child), and the 
implementation of the Dublin Convention, an E.U. law aimed at 
requiring asylum seeking to apply for that status in the first E.U. 
state entered and which prevents applications being made in multiple 
member states). .  According to figures released by the Department 
of Justice, in 2008 there were 162 deportations to non-EU 
countries,271 transfers back to other EU states in 2008, and 519 who 
would otherwise have been deported but left with voluntary 
departure. 
 
The admittance of the accession states to the European Union in 2004 
saw a large increase in the numbers coming to Ireland in search of 
employment, attracted by job opportunities, good pay and excellent 
social welfare benefits.  With the growing recession, statistics are 
not yet available as to how many of these workers are moving on or 
remaining in Ireland in employment or claiming social welfare. 
 
B) NIV Fraud 
 
Dublin's NIV caseload includes 36 percent third-country nationals. 
The majority of visa refusals are under Section 214(b).  Post has 
experienced an increased number of applicants in the E, H, and J 
visa categories applying for visas with new Irish passports in an 
effort to conceal previous overstays in the U.S.  Post works closely 
with CBP Dublin in resolving these applications.  Post continues to 
monitor with care and the assistance of FPU Chennai, Indian national 
H1-B applicants in the information technology (IT) sector who apply 
with a Indian primary degree and fail to make the grade in an 
accredited institution in the IT field in Ireland.  Other incidents 
encountered relate to job letters and bank statements obtained 
fraudulently. 
 
c) IV Fraud 
 
No known incidence of fraud. 
 
d) DV Fraud 
 
No known incidence of fraud. 
 
e) ACS and Passport Fraud 
 
Passport applications that are not immediately verifiable through 
the PIMS system are given particular attention.  In the past five 
years there have been only two known attempts by imposters to gain 
American passports. 
 
f) Adoption Fraud 
 
There are very few Irish children available for adoption and 
although it is legally possible for these children to be adopted 
outside the state, preference would be given to Irish adopting 
parents.  No Irish children have been adopted by American parents 
within the institutional memory of the consular section. 
 
g) Use of DNA testing 
 
Post rarely uses DNA testing.  There have been no particular 
problems or trends associated with DNA program. 
 
h) Asylum and other DHS Benefits 
 
Dublin does not generally deal with these cases. 
 
i) Alien smuggling, trafficking, organized crime, terrorist travel 
 
Dublin has not seen noticeable trends in these areas, but the 
consular section is now working with the political section to 
develop more contacts in these areas. 
 
J) DS Criminal Fraud investigations 
 
None currently. 
 
K) Host Country Passport, Identity document, and Civil Registry 
 
The new Irish passport was first introduced on 01 December 2004 on a 
phased basis.  Older versions of the Irish passport will remain 
valid until their expiry date.  The new passport incorporated 
enhanced security features, including laser-engraved MRPs with 
polycarbonate data page, laser-engraved photo, signature, personal 
data, and passport number.  On 17 October 17 2006, the Government of 
Ireland commenced issuing ePassports containing a contactless IC 
chip that records a digital facial image as a biometric identified 
of the bearer in accordance with the standards of the International 
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).  The passports are produced in a 
state-of-the-art, purpose-built facility using the most advanced 
production techniques.  Emergency passports can be issued at 
domestically or at missions abroad to facilitate Irish citizens who 
urgently require a travel document.  This passport has a different 
set of security features, e.g., the cover is green, has gold block 
lettering with no reference to the European Union, it is 
pin-perforated and has a maximum validity of one year. 
 
Anyone born on the island of Ireland on or before 31 December 2004 
is entitled to Irish citizenship.  Citizenship of every person born 
on the island of Ireland on or after 1 January 2005 is governed by 
the citizenship of the person's parents at the time of the person's 
birth or the residency history of one of the parents prior to the 
birth.  Since 1 October 2004, all children, regardless of age, must 
obtain an individual passport in their own name.  Parents' passports 
issued before that date and which have included children will remain 
valid and need not be replaced.  As part of the 1998 Northern Irish 
peace accords, persons in Northern Ireland who would be entitled to 
a British passport are also eligible for an Irish passport. 
 
Application forms for Irish passports include a Certificate of 
Identity that must be presented by the applicant in person at a 
Garda Station (police station) together with the relevant 
identification documents for verification of presence, photograph 
identity and true likeness.  If satisfied, the Garda completes the 
certification, which is then signed and stamped prior to application 
to the Passport Office. 
 
Birth, marriage and death certificates are available through direct 
application to the Registrar, General Register Office, via online 
services at www.birthsdeathsmarriages.ie. 
Information is only available after the event has been notified to 
the local Registry Office.  Commencing July 2003 under a 
modernization scheme, "new style" certificates were introduced on a 
phased basis.  For births from 1900 and marriages and deaths from 
1966 two kinds of certificates are being produced. 
"Landscape"-style certificates feature photographic images of the 
live event registration details copied from the relevant register. 
"Portrait" style certificates have all the life events details in 
typed format.  Both the new and the old handwritten versions with 
dry seal are in circulation.   Post has not experienced a problem 
with either form.  As of 5 December  2005, hospitals no longer 
register births.  Parents must present themselves at their local 
Registry Office to register the birth with photo ID and their PPS 
number.  If parents are married, only one parent is required to be 
present at the Registry Office, while single parents who wish to 
register the father's name are both required to visit the Registry 
Office and provide  the PPS number and photo identification. 
 
L) Cooperation with host government 
 
Cooperation with the Irish government offices and agencies is 
excellent.  The FPM meets on a regular basis with representatives 
from government offices, the local law enforcement agency and U.K. 
embassy officers.  The U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection 
(CBP) have pre-flight commercial inspection facilities at both 
Dublin and Shannon Airports and also participate at these meetings 
to help keep all informed and alerted to any emerging trends. 
 
M) Areas of particular concern 
 
None 
 
N) Staffing and Training 
 
Fraud Prevention Manager:  Matthew Gillen, Visa Chief, 
Training taken:  FSI Fraud Prevention for Consular Managers, July 
2007 
 
FSN FPU and E visa unit, Nuala Philips 
Training taken:  Fraud Prevention Course for FSNs March 3-7, 2003. 
 
 
PIERCE