Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the status of an application for a person (details supplied) for their parents to be granted residency here. [36164/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The visa applications referred to by the Deputy were lodged with the Department of Foreign Affairs on 19 November 2005. It was received by my Department on 22 November 2005.

As we have an obligation to provide the best possible service to all our clients and to deal objectively with all applications received in a fair and transparent manner, applications are not, as a rule, given priority over earlier application in the queue. In exceptional circumstances prioritisation of one or more applications may be warranted however it does not appear that any such circumstances exist in this case. The applications will be examined and considered by a visa officer in my Department, Applications are currently taking between three to four weeks on average to process and the applicant will be notified of the decision at that time. The applications in question are for a single journey visa and not for residency as implied in the parliamentary question.