John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will sympathetically consider an application in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24907/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The visa application referred to by the Deputy was received in the Visa Office, Dublin on the 14 October 2009. Following consideration, the application was refused by a visa officer on the 18 November 2009.

The application was refused because the applicant had not shown sufficient evidence of a relationship being in existence prior to the marriage taking place. On the 10 February 2010 the applicant appealed the decision to refuse the visa. An appeals officer upheld the decision of the visa officer on the 12 February 2010 as the original refusal reason had not been addressed sufficiently.

It should be borne in mind that each visa application is considered on its individual merits, the onus resting with the applicant to satisfy the Visa Officer as to why a visa should be granted. I can confirm that correspondence has been received by my Department from a public representative with regard to this matter. No further evidence has been supplied to establish the existence of a relationship prior to marriage or indeed subsequent to the marriage.

Only one appeal per visa application is permitted. It is, however, open to the person concerned to submit a fresh visa application at any time. Where doing so, the individual concerned should be in a position to address the above issue in a more substantive way.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 34: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons refused entry to Ireland in 2007, 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24931/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I have been informed by the Garda National Immigration Bureau that the following table shows the total number of persons refused Leave to Land, pursuant to the provisions of Immigration Act, 2004 for each year between 2007 - 2010 (31st May, 2010); 2010 1,244 (to 31st May) 2009 3,857 2008 5,394 2007 6,331

However, a number of those persons who have been refused Leave to Land were subsequently permitted to enter the State, having made an application for protection pursuant to the provisions of the Refugee Act, 1996, as amended. The following table shows the number of such persons, for each year between 2007 and 2010 (31st May, 2010): 2010 112 (to 31st May) 2009 317 2008 339 2007 477