Ms Fiona Hurley:

I will read into the record a statement by Izzeddeen Alkarajeh, a Palestinian refugee living in Ireland. Izzedeen's situation is representative of those who lost their rights to family reunification when the International Protection Act was commenced and is typical of the situation facing refugees accessing our services.

Dear Members of the Justice Committee, thank you for giving me the opportunity to express my problem. Sorry I am unable to make it here today but I have work commitments and I am happy for Fiona Hurley to read my statement. I'm a Palestinian refugee, living in Cork with my wife and our 4 children. I'd like to thank Ireland for the protection and safety that my family is enjoying. And I would like to thank the department of justice for taking only 11 months to decide that we qualify for protection, after we spent 15 years waiting Israeli justice system to recognize our family status, with no answer.

When we lodged our protection application in September of 2016, our interview was scheduled to be on the 1st of December 2016. Unfortunately, all interviews were cancelled by then, to facilitate the new law and procedures enforcement, and I lost a great opportunity to be reunified with my mother that was possible in the old system. In August of 2017, I had my interview according to the new law after ORAC has become IPO.

In order to keep my statement short, please allow me to identify the issues that I see in the current regulations: -Although Palestine has the oldest continuous conflict, with one of the largest refugee crisis, it's not among the 10 countries benefiting from the IHAP.

-Before obtaining protection in Ireland, I was living in Saudi Arabia, and I was able to visit my mother in Palestine from time to time. Unfortunately, after being protected in Ireland, I'm no longer allowed to visit her until I obtain full Irish citizenship.

-The only option remaining to bring my mother here is by sponsoring her. The financial requirements needed for me to qualify to sponsor my mother is so high and unrealistic, because even if I earn half of the current required amount of €70,000, I would still be able to sponsor her living. The current system sets a fixed figure, regardless of the number of family members to be sponsored, and regardless of the family members potential health care cost. In my case, it's only my mother, and she is not so old that she may cost me so high to take care of. In addition to that, I must prove the above income for three years, which adds unfair complexity of the regulation.

-Even if I become desperate of bringing my mother to live, and decide to invite her for a visit, the current system makes it so hard if it’s seen that we attempted to apply for family reunification. I have great confidence that justice in Ireland has a room to fit Palestinian vulnerable people, and I have a great hope that new laws or amendments would make it easier for me to be with my mother again.

The letter is signed, "Sincerely, Izzeddeen Alkarajeh".