Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to extend the visa waiver scheme for non-EU citizens with indefinite leave to remain or other residency status in Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12155/11]

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.