Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

On behalf of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I am pleased to respond to the matters raised by the Senator. The case centres on the Ghanaian parents of an Irish born child who have been granted permission to reside in the State on that basis. The parents came to Ireland through the United Kingdom and made asylum applications in December 2000. One month later they had a child in Ireland and withdrew that claim. The child is seriously ill and the prognosis is poor. Her parents applied for residency on the basis of parentage of that child and this was granted in February 2002. The visa applications are for the purpose of allowing their two Ghanaian sons, aged 9 and 13, to come to Ireland. Both children are attending school in Ghana and are being looked after by relatives. For the purpose of completeness, it would appear from information supplied in connection with their asylum claim that they have two other children, aged 15 and 12, who are also resident in Ghana.