Written answers

Tuesday, 15 July 2025

Department of Justice and Equality

Visa Applications

Photo of George LawlorGeorge Lawlor (Wexford, Labour)
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668. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when a visitor's visa application (details supplied), applied for through the Irish honorary consul in Belgrade and forwarded to our embassy in Athens on 2 June 2025, will be determined, as the applicants wish to visit family in Wexford during Fleadh Ceol Na hÉireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39230/25]

Photo of Colm BrophyColm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I am happy to inform the Deputy that following full consideration by a Visa Officer the Visa was granted on 10 July 2025.

As an Oireachtas member, you can also request the status of individual immigration cases 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 Question process.

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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669. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will address concerns regarding the handling of visa applications (details supplied). [39473/25]

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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736. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to intervene as a matter of urgency to ensure that a Palestinian GAA team (details supplied) are issued visas on time to attend an upcoming tournament. [39444/25]

Photo of Cian O'CallaghanCian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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755. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will urgently issue the visas for the children of an organisation (details supplied) who are due to travel to Ireland shortly; the reason there has been delays with their visas given the weeks of preparation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39569/25]

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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773. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for the recent refusal of visa applications for a group of 33 Palestinian children who were due to travel to Ireland as part of a cultural and sporting exchange organised by GAA Palestine; if he is aware that this trip had been in planning for months and involved the support of over 150 Irish families across the island; and if he will urgently review the decision in light of the humanitarian and symbolic significance of the visit. [39665/25]

Photo of Colm BrophyColm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 669, 736, 755 and 773 together.

I can advise the Deputy that the applications for the members of GAA Palestine were refused on 09 July 2025. I appreciate that the decision to refuse these applications has caused disappointment. These applications were given very careful consideration and the reasons for this refusal have been communicated in the decision letters issued.

Each visa application is decided on its own merits. However, it is the case that the organisation of an event, no matter how good the intention, does not guarantee that a visa will be subsequently granted. Applications made on behalf of minors who are not travelling in the company of their parents must be supported with evidence that appropriate child protection measures are in place during the visit.

In all cases, evidence of financial means, employment or other ties that indicate a person intends to return home are important criteria.

The visa appeals process allows applicants to address any factors of the original refusal decision and have that application considered again. Full consideration is given to any appeal; however the onus is on the applicants to satisfy the Visa Officer that a visa should be granted.

Appeals have in fact been received by my Department this afternoon in respect of these decisions. The Department is actively reviewing these appeals and will endeavour to issue decisions promptly.

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