Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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283. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if there are programmes available in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60915/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I share the Deputy’s concerns for the Afghan people and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

As the Deputy is aware, the Government has approved my Department's proposal for an additional initiative: the special Afghan Admission Programme, which will provide places for up to 500 Afghan family members to travel to Ireland. Each applicant will have an opportunity to nominate up to four family members who are currently residing in Afghanistan or who have fled to neighbouring territories and whom they consider would be especially at risk in terms of their freedom and safety.

My Department will open the Programme for applications very shortly and it may be open to the person concerned to make an application to that Programme, subject to meeting its criteria. Full details of the scheme will be published on my Department's Irish Immigration website (www.irishimmigration.ie).

A key focus of the Programme will be on establishing the identity of those intending to come to Ireland. Therefore, in advance of the Programme’s launch date, applicants and beneficiaries should focus on ensuring they have as many identity documents as possible available to support their application.