Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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135. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details of evacuation processes in place for university students granted places at Irish universities to escape Gaza; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43962/25]

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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136. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason there have been no evacuation flights from Gaza since April 2025; the reason there are no plans for further evacuation flights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43963/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 135 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland has consistently condemned the ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza and continues to urge all parties to do everything possible to support efforts underway to reach agreement on a new ceasefire and hostage release deal.

My Department, including Irish Embassies and Consulates worldwide, provides consular assistance to Irish citizens who get into difficulty abroad in accordance with its Consular Assistance Charter. The provision of consular assistance to Irish citizens is a cornerstone of the work of the officials in my Department.

Since the beginning of the crisis in Gaza, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has supported 153 persons to leave Gaza and travel to Ireland, including a small number of students. On 17 July, 9 Palestinian students arrived in Ireland from Gaza; these students will take up scholarships for the 2025/26 academic year under the Government’s Ireland Palestine Scholarship Programme which is supported through Irish Aid. The students will be supported by the Irish Council of International Students (ICOS), the Managing Agency for the Ireland Fellows Programme, in anticipation of their courses starting in September.

While, as you will appreciate, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Irish Embassies and Consulates worldwide are limited in the assistance we can provide to non-Irish citizens, I can confirm that we are actively exploring further options for the provision of assistance to individuals in Gaza who wish to travel to Ireland. This includes students who have been granted scholarships by Higher Level Institutions in Ireland for the upcoming academic year. Where a visa is required to enter Ireland, the relevant visa application will be reviewed in accordance with Irish legislation.

It should be noted that exit from Gaza is dependent on receipt of permission from the relevant local authorities, both in Israel and in certain circumstances neighbouring jurisdictions. Such permissions are outside the control of the Government of Ireland.

I wish to assure the Deputy that Ireland will continue to steadfastly advocate for an urgent end to hostilities and for unimpeded humanitarian access.