John Gormley
Ceist:523 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason the daughter of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 6 has been denied entrance here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10983/02]
Vol. 552 No. 1
523 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason the daughter of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 6 has been denied entrance here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10983/02]
The mother and daughter in question are aged 84 years and 51 years, respectively. They are Australian citizens, have rights of residence in Australia and have lived in Australia for most of their lives. The daughter previously lived in Ireland for two years until 15 years ago. The mother is an Irish citizen by descent, her grandfather having been born in Ireland, and therefore has rights of residence in Ireland. The mother and daughter had been in Canada on visitors' visas and Australian passports but overstayed the duration of their permission to remain. They sought permission, with the assistance of an immigration lawyer, to reside in Canada on the basis that the mother's medical condition rendered it impossible for her to travel and that they had become established there.
The application was turned down and the Canadian immigration authorities obtained a medical opinion from two specialists indicating that the mother was in a position to travel. The daughter was deported to Australia. My understanding is that the Canadian authorities intended to make arrangements for the deportation of the mother to Australia. In the event the mother, being an Irish citizen also, was deported to Ireland at the request of her daughter.