Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 1193: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the statistical information his Department keeps on applicants for visitors visas. [2230/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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Applications for visas, including visitor visas, are received in Irish embassies and consulates abroad. Under a delegated sanction arrangement, most visas are granted by Department of Foreign Affairs personnel without reference to Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Only the more problematic types are referred to Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in Dublin for decision. Special arrangements apply in Moscow, Beijing and New Delhi where dedicated visa officers process all visa applications.

My Department has statistical information from May 2005 on visit visas referred for decision to Dublin. The offices in Beijing and Moscow also provide statistics for my Department on a monthly basis. The recently established office in New Delhi will do likewise in the future.

A computerisation project under development will enable compilation of more comprehensive statistical information on all visitor applications.