asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will list the European countries for citizens of which a visa is required to enter this country; and the reasons for such visa requirements.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Entry Visas.
4.
No visa is required for visits to Ireland by citizens of the following 20 European countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Federal Republic of Germany, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom.
Visas are required for citizens of the remaining European countries.
The purpose of the visa requirement is to regulate the admission of foreigners. Where tourist, business or other traffic warrant it, we have made arrangements for the abolition of visas in respect of visitors from certain countries usually on a reciprocal basis provided there are no considerations which would render this course undesirable.
Has the Minister made any investigations in regard to the recent unfortunate case involving a Yugoslav citizen?
That does not arise.
I am just asking for the reasons. I would not have put down this question but for the disgraceful incident affecting one Yugaslav citizen——
There is nothing in the question about a specific case.
I am just asking the Minister if he made any investigation into this case?
There is a visa requirement for Yugoslav citizens. I think it may be possible in due course to have an arrangement between the two countries which will make it unnecessary to have visas.
Are visas necessary for each of the communist countries?
Except for the countries I have named, all the other countries in Europe require a visa.
Why are visas required in respect of these countries in cases where citizens of these countries are visiting here for cultural purposes? Why is it necessary that we should go through this ridiculous charade which we went through in the case of this Yugoslav citizen? God knows we need tourists and in this season, of all seasons, why do we have to go through this charade?
These arrangements are made on a reciprocal basis. The other country would abolish their visa requirements for our citizens and we would do the same for theirs.
Is the Minister aware that this Yugoslav citizen was allowed into Britain without any trouble? Is he aware that she was told by an official of the Department of Justice that she was a "most foreign" person and that this was a "most foreign" country?
I do not know what she was told——
I would ask the Minister to investigate. I know that visas are a matter for the Department of Justice——
I do not think you could say that there are degrees of "foreignness". It seems as if somebody did not control his English.