Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will review the case of a person (details supplied). [12088/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Short-Stay Visa Waiver Programme provides for visa-free travel to Ireland for the holders of UK visas from certain countries. The Waiver Programme is aimed at people on short trips to the UK who might wish to also visit Ireland and it is expected to cover mainly tourists and business people from the countries concerned. It is also intended to introduce procedures which could cater for, insofar as is possible, citizens of the countries concerned who are long term residents of the UK and who wish to visit Ireland for short stays such as business or tourism and who present an insignificant risk of irregular migration.

The Waiver Programme will be introduced on a pilot basis from 1 July of this year to October 2012 (to cover London Olympics period and beyond). This start date is based on enacting secondary legislation (by way of Statutory Instrument) to define the categories of people covered by the Waiver Programme. The pilot programme will be monitored throughout its running and is capable of being amended or expanded at any point.

In relation to the specific case referred to by the Deputy, there are no plans at present to include nationals of the country in question in the pilot scheme. However, in the circumstances outlined by the Deputy, the person in question may well be advised to consider exercising their entitlements to travel throughout the EU as a family member of an EU citizen.