Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 159: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position in relation to an application for family reunification in the case of persons (details supplied) in Dublin 8; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39106/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by the Immigration Division of my Department that the person in question made an application for Family Reunification on behalf of his wife in June 2008.

This application was then forwarded to the Refugee Applications Commissioner on 21st July, 2008 for investigation as required under section 18 of the Refugee Act 1996. The Commissioner will prepare and forward in due course a report to my Department.

Upon receipt of the report, the application will be considered and a decision will issue in due course. All applications are dealt with in chronological order and due to the high volume of applications on hand, it is unlikely that a decision will be reached on this application before January 2009.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a letter stating habitual residency or leave to remain in the State will be arranged for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 who has been refused a higher education grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39107/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that the person concerned was granted permission to remain in the State under Stamp 4 conditions for an initial period of 12 months, and was informed of this decision by letter dated 8 May, 2008. The person in question subsequently registered with the Garda National Immigration Bureau. Further renewals of this permission may be granted by GNIB without instruction from my Department, and no further correspondence between the person concerned and my Department is required.

Fees payable to third level institutions, and the eligibility criteria for higher education grants, are not matters which fall within the remit of my Department. However I have arranged for a letter to be issued to the person concerned confirming her legal residency in the State and setting out the basis on which her permission to remain in the State was granted.