Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 432: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he is satisfied that a visa application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway was carried out correctly and that all documents submitted were considered; and if he will review the file to see if the application process was carried out correctly. [13680/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The visa application referred to by the Deputy was received in the Irish Visa Office, Abu Dhabi on the 24 January 2012. The visa application fee (whilst not the full amount) was confirmed as being paid on the 26 February 2012. Further supporting documents were requested that same day and were provided the following day, 27 February 2012.

The visa application was thoroughly considered by a visa officer on the 28 February 2012 and the decision to refuse the visa sought was made at that time. The majority of straightforward visa applications in all Irish visa offices are decided upon within a few working days and there is nothing unusual in the fact that the visa application was considered and decided upon within one working day of receiving all of the necessary supporting documentation and information. Because of the initial delay in confirming that the visa fee had been paid via the customary local bank transfer arrangements, this particular application was given priority treatment, the additional information required was very quickly sought from the applicants and a decision was arrived at as soon as possible after receipt of that additional information. Every application for an Irish visa is examined in detail to determine if a visa should be granted. The onus is on a visa applicant to satisfy the visa officer that a visa should be granted, and to supply the necessary information to help the visa officer reach that decision.

Following standard practice, once a decision on the application was made, the applicant was immediately informed in writing of that decision. In common with all refused visa applicants, it is open to the applicant in this case to appeal the decision to refuse the visa within two months of the date of the refusal, in this instance, before the 28 April 2012. Where doing so the applicant would be strongly advised to be in a position to address the refusal reasons outlined in the written notification. The designated office for the consideration of an appeal is the Irish Visa Office, Abu Dhabi.

Queries in relation to general immigration matters may be made directly to INIS by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from INIS is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.