Noel O'Flynn (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

Many people from outside the EU living in this country make a valuable contribution to Irish society by providing important skills and paying taxes. The provision in this Bill for long-term residents recognises this and will allow such people and their families to stay and put down permanent roots. The new status for long-term residents will give qualifying immigrants access to State-funded services and other entitlements. At the moment immigrants must apply for a visa every year and can only apply for naturalisation after a certain length of time but the provisions of this Bill will see that such people will not have to engage with the visa process every year. The Bill recognises the role such immigrants play in Irish society and will make Ireland a more attractive place for skilled people.

I received a letter from a solicitor in Cork on immigration law and I refer to it as it applies to a case I am dealing with. An Irishman has a partner from Thailand and their son is an Irish citizen, but the Thai woman cannot enter this country without a visa. The embassy in Kuala Lumpur deals with Thailand and she was granted a visa this week but the man involved wishes to exercise his right as an Irish father to see his child. He has a responsibility to the child under various legislation but his partner has difficulty entering the country. On the other hand, holders of work permits from the Philippines and other countries may bring their children into this country and European Union nationals may marry a person from outside the EU and move here with their partner to work.

The letter was also sent to the Minister. I hope it will be possible to resolve the problem whereby people from outside the EU with Irish born children are prevented from moving here. In the case in question, the man has been separated from his Irish born wife for two and a half years and intends to marry his partner once his divorce has been finalised. I have met the lady and the couple's child who is of Irish extraction. The family is devastated that once a permit to enter the country is granted, the lady must return to her country of origin with the child within three months.

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