Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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875. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if visa applications will be expedited for persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14311/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I am happy to inform the Deputy that following full consideration by a Visa Officer the Visas were issued on 28 March 2024.

Entry into the State is solely at the discretion of the Immigration Officer at the port of entry. The onus is on the individuals to have all documentation relating to their reasons for entering Ireland for presentation to the Immigration Officer to gain entry. The Immigration Officer may grant leave to enter to a maximum period of three months. They may, depending on the documentation presented refuse entry to the state or grant a lesser period than three months.

Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie 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 is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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876. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality what steps are being taken to alleviate the backlog in visa applications for family reunification; what steps are being taken to streamline the process going forward; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14341/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Family reunification as provided for in s56 of the International Protection Act 2015, allows people granted International Protection to apply for certain family members to join them in the State.

The processing time can vary depending on the nature of the application and the documentation supplied. My Department engages with applicants for any further information that may be required to assist with the processing of applications.

All processing procedures and times are kept under ongoing review by my Department and every effort is made to keep these to a minimum.

Information on how to apply for family reunification as provided for in the International Protection Act 2015 is available on my Department's website here: www.irishimmigration.ie/coming-to-join-family-in-ireland/family-reunification-of-international-protection-holders/

Non-EEA nationals legally resident in Ireland, and considering family reunification, and who do not meet the criteria as provided for in the International Protection Act 2015, should also be aware of my Department’s “Policy on Non-EEA Family Reunification in Ireland”, available here: www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Policy-document-on-Non-EEA-family-reunification.pdf.

This policy document, which is currently under review, sets out the criteria and requirements for any person considering making an application to be joined by family members in the State.