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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 12 Jun 2001

Vol. 537 No. 5

Written Answers. - Visa Applications.

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

169 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will establish a TD inquiry line for the visa section of his Department, in view of the fact that the section is contactable only one and a half hours per day and that the appeals section is contactable only three days per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17189/01]

I am satisfied, given the current level of resources available, that there are adequate facilities-arrangements available to public representatives to enable them to make inquiries regarding visa applications to my Department. Since 1992, the visa office attends to callers to the public office in the mornings and accepts telephone calls from 2.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. It is open to any public representative or individual member of the public to contact my office if he or she experiences a problem in making an inquiry regarding a visa application. Visa appeals are a matter for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and any query regarding the level of service provided in this regard should be referred to my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

170 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason for the refusal of a visa to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17190/01]

The visa office in my Department received a visa application in respect of the individual referred to in the Deputy's question on 26 April which was then sent to the visa office in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform for consideration and decision. On 9 May, a decision to refuse this application was conveyed to my Department.

The passport of the applicant and the letter of refusal were sent by registered post to the person nominated as the reference in Ireland through whom the application had been made. The letter of refusal indicated how the reason(s) for the refusal of the application could be obtained from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and how an appeal of the refusal decision could be made to that Department.

I understand that in this particular case the reference in Ireland has been provided with the reason(s) for refusal by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and it is now up to the applicant and/or the reference in Ireland to decide if they wish to appeal this decision to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

John McGuinness

Ceist:

171 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason three visas (details supplied) were not issued; and if the case can be re-examined with a view to granting the visas. [17290/01]

The three individuals referred to in the Deputy's question submitted visa applications to the Irish Embassy in New Delhi on Thursday, 24 May. The applications were forwarded to the visa office in my Department and sent from there on Monday, 28 May, to the visa office in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform for consideration and decision.

On 11 June, a decision to refuse these applications was conveyed to my Department. The decision was forwarded to the embassy in New Delhi for onward transmission to the applicants. It is open to the applicants and/or the person nominated as the reference in Ireland on the original application form to obtain the reason(s) for the refusal from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and to subsequently appeal any decision to that Department.

I understand that in the case of these three applications the reference in Ireland has been provided with the reason(s) for refusal by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. It is now up to the applicants and/or the reference in Ireland to decide if they wish to appeal this decision to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

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