Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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110. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will respond directly regarding the current financial rules that apply to American retirees wishing to retire here (details supplied); her immediate plans to change the current requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12983/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate it is the responsibility of Government to decide polices for the management of migration and the control of our borders in the public interest. The simple fact that someone may wish to settle here as a retired person does not, of itself, create an entitlement for that person to do so. Over a number of years retired persons seeking to come to Ireland to live has become a prominent new channel for migration into the State. In the interests of clarity and greater transparency the immigration service published guidelines for such persons in March 2015. The overriding requirement is that such persons must be able to show that they have sufficient resources. In particular, they must satisfy the immigration service that they:

- Have an annual income equivalent to €50,000

- Have savings equivalent to the cost of buying a new home in Ireland

- Have comprehensive private Irish-based medical insurance

Following a public consultation process in October 2016 the immigration service undertook a review of this policy. This review is being finalised and decisions on foot of it will be made in the near future. While it would be premature at this stage to outline the details of the proposed scheme, the Deputy will appreciate that it is reasonable that persons seeking to retire in the State should have a close association with Ireland, that they can fully support themselves while resident here and that they should be approved for this purpose before taking up residence.

I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to by the Deputy arrived in the State in May 2015 as a visitor and subsequently applied to the immigration authorities to remain in Ireland as a retired person. After due consideration of all the circumstances in this case this request was refused because the person concerned did not satisfy all the conditions for settling in the State as a retired person as set out in the policies set out by INIS. This decision was subsequently reviewed twice at the request of the person concerned and the original decision was upheld on both occasions. In August 2016 this person was granted a short period of permission to remain in the State for medical reasons and after voluntarily leaving the State at the end of 2016, was subsequently granted temporary permission to re-enter the State in March 2017 for a specific period in order to attend a specific medical appointment.