Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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663. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when applications will resume for the Working Holiday Authorisation agreement with Australia in addition to other states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1917/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Working Holiday Authorisation (WHA) programme has played an important role in building Ireland’s bilateral relations with Australia and other countries with which we have reciprocal programmes. Each year, many thousands of young Irish people visited Australia under this programme which allowed them to work there in order to finance their holiday.  Similarly, we actively encouraged young Australians to visit Ireland under this programme so that a new generation of Australians could become familiar with modern Ireland.

Unfortunately, we had to suspend the operation of this programme in March 2020 due to the pandemic travel restrictions.  At the same time, we made every effort to assist our citizens who were in Australia under this programme. Australians in Ireland under this programme benefitted from pandemic assistance and other support. 

We made clear that we would resume these programmes as soon as circumstances permitted, in line with the processing of other visas and the reciprocal nature of the programme.  In regard to Australia, a general travel restriction was introduced which meant that holders of WHA visas could not enter Australia unless they received a special exemption e.g. on humanitarian grounds. 

This restriction has recently been lifted and I am glad to announce that our Embassy in Canberra is preparing to recommence processing of visa applications as soon as practicable with an expectation of resumption in early February, subject to any further developments in regard to pandemic travel restrictions.