Gay Mitchell
Ceist:297 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will review the case of persons (details supplied) in Dublin 15. [27882/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 9 November 2004
Ceisteanna (235)
Freagraí scríofa
The refugees in question made an application for ten family members to join them in the State. The application fell to be dealt with under the provisions of section 18 of the Refugee Act 1996 which provides a statutory mechanism for the evaluation of applications for family re-unification with family members by refugees who are resident in this jurisdiction. Under section 18(3) such permission will be granted to immediate family members, that is, spouses, minor children and parents of minor children, upon verification of the authenticity of the relationship. Visas have now been approved in respect of three children of the applicants who came within the ambit of section 18(3).
Applications for other dependent family members may also be made under section 18(4). Dependent members of the family mean any grandparent, parent, brother, sister, child, grandchild, ward or guardian of the refugee who is dependent on the refugee or is suffering from a mental or physical disability to such an extent that it is not reasonable for him or her to maintain himself or herself fully. If such dependency is proved these applications may be granted at my discretion.
As six of the family members who are the subject of the current application do not come within the ambit of either of these provisions I am not in a position to grant family re-unification in respect of them under the provisions of the Act. In processing the application for the tenth person inconsistencies were noted which require further investigation before this application can be finalised. My Department has recently written to the refugees concerned informing them of the position relating to their application.