Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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497. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has consulted with third-level institutions and the Minister for Justice in respect of a situation which has arisen during the pandemic in which non-European Union students who return home during the academic year and who are unable to return to Ireland for reasons relating to the pandemic miss deadlines for visa renewal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5973/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In December, a number of issues in relation to immigration and visa permissions were brought to the Department’s attention via our higher education institutions. As this falls within the remit of the Department of Justice, this was referred to that Department for action.

On 17 December 2021, the Minister for Justice announced a further temporary extension of immigration and international protection permissions to 31 May 2022. This temporary extension of immigration permissions means that people who held a valid permission to be in the State in March 2020 are legally permitted to remain until 31 May 2022, even if their Irish Residence Permit card had expired and are awaiting a new one.

Those entitled to receive a new Irish Residence Permit card were allowed continue to use their expired card to depart from and return to Ireland over Christmas 2021 and until 15 January 2022 only. Any person from a visa required country remaining outside the State after 15 January 2022 would need a visa to enter the state and would need to apply to the nearest Irish Embassy/visa office.