Seán Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 378: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the visa application of persons (details supplied) will be re-examined. [8025/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The visa applications in question were for the purposes of allowing the children of a non-EEA national employed in the State under the working visa scheme, to travel to Ireland for the purposes of residing in the State with their mother. A worker employed under the work permit scheme may be joined by his or her spouse and minor children after the worker has been in the State for one year and has been offered a contract for a further year. The worker must also be able fully to support the family members in question without the need to have recourse to public funds.

One of the persons in question was over the age of 18 at the time of application and consequently her application was refused as she could not be regarded as a minor. With regard to the second person in question, it was noted that she was enrolled in a public non-fee-paying school. It is the general policy of my Department that visas for students, including those wishing to undergo formal secondary education, will issue only where the prospective student will be attending the course of studies at a privately funded school.

It is open to the applicants to appeal these decisions in writing.