Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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530. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if short stay family visit visas are currently being issued to non-EU citizens; if not, when the service will resume; and if consideration will be given to granting short stay family visit visas to non-EU citizens who are fully vaccinated. [43199/21]

Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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531. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service will resume processing short stay exam visas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43201/21]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 530 and 531 together.

From the beginning of this week (13 September 2021), the restrictions that have been in place since 21 March 2020, regarding the processing of short stay visas are being lifted. This will benefit travellers from all countries which require a visa to enter Ireland. All remaining Covid-19 restrictions on entry visa and preclearance processing, which were brought in as a necessary interim measure to help reduce the spread of Covid-19, have now been lifted.

The decision to temporarily cease processing short stay visa applications, except for cases that fell under the Emergency/Priority criteria, was made as a necessary interim measure to help reduce the spread of Covid-19 and protect public health. As the pandemic situation continues to improve and international travel once again becomes a feature of our lives it is important that people are able to travel here for short term purposes including to visit family, to study or for business reasons.

The move to lift restrictions is in line with the next phase of the Government’s response to the pandemic, Covid-19: Reframing the Challenge, Continuing Our Recovery and Reconnecting.

My Department and I remain fully supportive of the current public health advice and all travellers arriving into Ireland must continue to comply fully with measures required by law including producing proof of vaccination, recovery from Covid-19 or a negative PCR test.