Lynn Ruane (Independent)

I wish to speak about a number of different Palestinian groups. Some have been spoken about already. I am talking about the members of the Palestinian GAA team in relation to their trip to Ireland, but also in relation to the Lajee choir group. Currently, they have had to cancel their trip to Ireland, a trip they were very much looking forward to. The word from Tel Aviv is that what seems to have happened is that the application forms are just sitting here in Ireland.The visa applications are basically sitting on a desk in Ireland waiting for approval. The parents of the children who were due to come here provided their passports and they still have not got those passports back, months later.

I understand that Ireland is potentially experiencing some level of international isolation in regard to its support for and continued solidarity with the Palestinian community. I am not usually one for paranoia but it feels like something is happening in relation to groups seeking visas. Perhaps the issue lies with the Israeli Embassy and relationships have broken down there. Why are applications that have not yet had a decision made on them sitting on desks in the context of trips that are due to take place soon? Forty students who have received places in Irish universities cannot get evacuation flights to come here. We are just coming into the summer now and the academic year starts straight after that but there are students who cannot even apply for their visas. They are being told that they cannot apply for a visa until the evacuation process has been dealt with. Even if that does get dealt with, visas will not be in place to enable them to move swiftly and get on the evacuation list in the first place. Several blockages relating to several different groups seem to be happening all at once.

We need to write to the Department of foreign affairs to get an insight into what it is doing to open up additional diplomatic channels in order to resolve these blockages and give full realisation to our solidarity with the Palestinian community, not just in words but in actions too. I wanted to put on record the situation with regard to the GAA Palestine Group and the Lajee children's choir group, who are awaiting communication on applications that are sitting on an Irish desk, and the 40 students who will not be able to start their studies here in Ireland in September if we do not move on this in the next couple of weeks.