Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 June 2004
191 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the maximum advice and support will be given to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 in order that they are able to visit their family in China in June 2004; and to make this case a priority. [17989/04]
View answerIt would appear on the basis of the information supplied that the person in question has been unlawfully present in the State for at least four years. It would also appear that she has been unlawfully employed during that period.
She has very recently made an application for permission to remain in the State on the basis of her marriage to an Irish national. Applications of this type are dealt with in strict chronological order, in fairness to all applicants, and are currently taking approximately 12 months to process.
There is no objection on my part to her travelling home to China. However, it is not the case that by virtue of her desire to visit home I will move her application for permission to remain in the State to the top of the queue. All applicants for permission to remain in the State can advance the same argument, that is, they cannot leave Ireland where they are unlawfully resident because they are not guaranteed re-entry. The reality is that if she had complied with our immigration laws in the first place this situation would not have arisen.
