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18/08/2010
Sham Marriage Arrests Accelerate
A top Garda chief has revealed some 16 people have been arrested so far this year for involvement in bogus marriages.
Chief Supt John O'Driscoll of the Garda National Immigration Bureau said there were concerns over an increased number of "sham marriages" taking place in Ireland between European citizens and their non-EU spouses.
However, he said that every means had been looked at to prevent abuse of the system and that nine of those people have since been removed or deported from the State.
He added that Gardaí had issued 57 written objections so far this year in relation to planned marriages they believed to be bogus and that others are being investigated for crimes such as fraud and bigamy.
Responding to the news, Labour's Spokesperson on Social and Family Affairs, Roisin Shortall said the matter was of "serious concern" and required urgent action by the Minister for Social Protection. Ms Shortall added that Registrars should be given extra powers to deal with bogus civil marriages.
The Labour Spokeswoman said: “We clearly need to review the existing arrangements where registrars have so little power to act when they suspect that they are being asked to solemnise a bogus marriage.
"I welcome the review now being undertaken and believe that registrars should be allowed greater powers to satisfy themselves that the marriage application is genuine.
"They should also have the power to delay marriages they believe to be suspect and in extreme cases be allowed to refuse to conduct a ceremony, subject to a right of appeal for the parties involved."
This week a senior superintendent registrar with the Health Service Executive claimed that between 10-15% of civil ceremonies conducted across the State may be marriages of convenience.
(DW/BMcC)
Chief Supt John O'Driscoll of the Garda National Immigration Bureau said there were concerns over an increased number of "sham marriages" taking place in Ireland between European citizens and their non-EU spouses.
However, he said that every means had been looked at to prevent abuse of the system and that nine of those people have since been removed or deported from the State.
He added that Gardaí had issued 57 written objections so far this year in relation to planned marriages they believed to be bogus and that others are being investigated for crimes such as fraud and bigamy.
Responding to the news, Labour's Spokesperson on Social and Family Affairs, Roisin Shortall said the matter was of "serious concern" and required urgent action by the Minister for Social Protection. Ms Shortall added that Registrars should be given extra powers to deal with bogus civil marriages.
The Labour Spokeswoman said: “We clearly need to review the existing arrangements where registrars have so little power to act when they suspect that they are being asked to solemnise a bogus marriage.
"I welcome the review now being undertaken and believe that registrars should be allowed greater powers to satisfy themselves that the marriage application is genuine.
"They should also have the power to delay marriages they believe to be suspect and in extreme cases be allowed to refuse to conduct a ceremony, subject to a right of appeal for the parties involved."
This week a senior superintendent registrar with the Health Service Executive claimed that between 10-15% of civil ceremonies conducted across the State may be marriages of convenience.
(DW/BMcC)
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