John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when a visa appeal for a person (details supplied) will be decided on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11584/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The visa application to which the Deputy refers was for the purposes of allowing a non-EEA national travel to the State to visit her mother's family. The application was received in my office on 27 September 2004.

In assessing any visa application, the visa officer will consider various matters, including whether it is reasonable in all the circumstances to conclude that the applicant would fully honour the conditions of the visa, for example, it is unlikely that the applicant would overstay the length of time applied for. The application in question was refused on 29 October 2004 because the visa officer could not reasonably be satisfied, on the basis of documentation supplied to my Department, that the applicant would observe the conditions of the visa applied for. The formal notification of the refusal issued to Ukraine on 12 November 2004. The reasons for the refusal were issued on 15 December 2004.

The Deputy submitted an appeal of the decision to refuse the visa application on behalf of the applicant. However, based on the additional documentation supplied, the visa appeals officer was unable to conclude that the initial decision should be overturned. Consequently, the application was refused on appeal on 7 April 2005 and notification of this decision was issued to the applicant on 12 April 2005.

If the applicant still wishes to travel, a fresh application should be submitted to my Department with up-to-date documentation and the matter will be considered anew.