Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 455: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of the visa application by a person (details supplied). [10108/04]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The person in question, a 21 year old female, applied for a visit visa for herself and her six year old son in February 2004. The application was refused because it had not been established, on the basis of the documentation supplied to my Department, that the applicant would observe the conditions of the visa. In particular, it was felt that the applicant had not displayed sufficient evidence of her obligations to return home following her proposed visit.

It was noted that the application was not accompanied by any details of the applicant's employment in her home country. It was also noted that the applicant had made a previous visa application in November 2003 to work as a childminder for the person listed as her reference in Ireland on her visa application form. A letter from her reference in Ireland accompanying her current visa application states that she would be required to look after his six children during her visit. In the circumstances, the visa officer formed the opinion that it would not be reasonable to conclude that the applicant would observe the conditions attached to a visit visa. It is open to the applicant to appeal against the refusal by writing to the visa appeals officer in my Department.