Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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222. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of people granted leave to come to Ireland from Gaza who are currently unable to leave Palestine. [40864/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I am acutely aware of the grave humanitarian crisis unfolding before us in Gaza.

My Department is working closely with colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs to ensure a coordinated national response to this volatile and evolving situation. This includes their work to evacuate Irish citizens and their families who may require visa assistance.

The Embassy of Ireland in Israel is actively engaging with the applicants to gather the required documents to ensure that the Visa Division of this Department have everything needed to progress these applications. My Department will ensure that visa applications for immediate family members are, wherever possible, processed speedily and sympathetically.

Since last 07 October 2023, my Department has issued 179 Type D long stay visas to Palestinian nationals permitting them to come to live in Ireland. Of these, 112 were Join Family visas. The vast majority of these applications were to join spouses, children and parents living in Ireland. It should be noted that not all of these applicants may have been resident in Gaza or the West Bank.

A person who has a valid Irish Visa does not have to provide my Department with any further details of their travel arrangements. The Deputy will appreciate this prevents my Department from giving an estimation of the number of people currently in Gaza that may have received an Irish Visa to travel to the State.

I am advised that the Department of Foreign Affairs is very limited in the assistance that it can provide to individuals in Gaza who are not Irish citizens or immediate dependents accompanying Irish citizens. The decision to permit or refuse exit from Gaza is made by the relevant authorities on the ground. In this context, I am however aware that the Department of Foreign Affairs was able to assist a small number of student visa holders to request the necessary clearance to exit Gaza as they travelled to Ireland to take-up or continue their studies.