Deputy Spring gave me notice of his intention to raise the matter of the refusal of the Department of Justice to issue entry visas to the spouses and families of eight doctors working or studying in Ireland.
Adjournment Debate. - Entry Visas.
First, I want to express my gratitude to you for facilitating me this evening in raising this matter.
I am calling for order, the Deputy in possession cannot be heard. I respectfully submit that any conversation should be held outside the lobby.
I am grateful to have this opportunity to raise this matter in the House this evening. It concerns a basic human right. The issue involved is a very simple one and I hope we can get some answers in the House this evening in relation to it. It is strictly the responsibility of the Department of Justice. I hope that the Minister of State at that Department can give some explanations tonight as to the attitude and the policy implemented by the Department. As I understand it, we have always provided opportunities for foreign doctors to complete their education and their studies in this country. This is a commendable policy which I fully support. The matter I am raising this evening concerns the refusal by the Department of Justice to issue visas to the wives and children of those doctors who wish to live with their spouses in Ireland for the period of their study.
I am at a loss to understand the attitude being taken in this matter by the Department of Justice. Why are the Department of Justice refusing to facilitate these applicants from various countries in their applications to come to this country on very reasonable grounds, to join their spouses and establish their families here? I would like an explanation from the Minister of this matter. I would also like him to focus on the attitude taken by the relevant section in the Department of Justice, a section which does not appear to be answerable to anybody except the Minister. When Deputies try to contact that section directly our queries are redirected to the Minister's office. I wonder whether that section of the Department is answerable. Perhaps the Minister would explain why there is a refusal to allow Deputies to query officials of that section of the Department of Justice.
It is particularly difficult to understand the attitude of the Department of Justice in this matter because we in this House are not slow to criticise the agencies of other countries when our citizens experience difficulty in obtaining work permits or indeed visitor's visas. This matter has been raised in this House and outside it in the last number of months. If there is to be consistency we will have to establish that our agencies and Departments treat people with respect and dignity and do not refuse applications per se, as has been the case in the last number of months.
Basically what I am asking is that these people have the same rights to visit their spouses who are working and studying in this country as we would seek for our citizens who wish to travel abroad and live in other countries. I am concerned about this matter. I would ask the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dea, to give an explanation of justification for the refusal of the applications, details of which I supplied. It is totally undesirable and, as a public representative, I believe that nobody in the Department can stand over it.
I appreciate Deputy Spring's obvious deep concern in the matter. The particulars supplied by the Deputy about these eight cases are not sufficiently specific or detailed in each instance to enable it to be established, in the short time available since notice was received of this matter being raised on the Adjournment, whether applications for entry visas were received from the spouses of each of the individuals concerned and, if so, what the position is with regard to all the applications. If Deputy Spring says that the applications have been sent in, I am prepared to accept that. However, I can inform him that in one of the eight cases a visa application was received from the spouse of the individual concerned and the application was granted in September of this year, while in another case an application from the spouse was received and refused. I will endeavour to have the position in relation to the remaining cases established as soon as possible and I will communicate further with the Deputy in the matter.
The approach taken in relation to these visa applications would have been the same as that taken in relation to all such applications. Each visa application is considered on an individual basis in the light of the information submitted in support of the application and each application is decided on its own merits. It has never been the practice to disclose the reasons for a refusal to grant a visa. This is common practice internationally in relation to this matter and it is not proposed to depart from that practice on this occasion.
Perhaps the Minister would explain why it takes so long to process these applications which are straightforward.
I am sorry, Deputy Spring, but the Minister's reply ends the debate.