The visa applications referred to by the Deputy were received in the Visa Office, New Delhi on 27 December 2007. Both were refused by the Visa Officer on 5 February 2008.
The visas were sought to allow the applicants to join their adult children in Ireland, as dependants, on a long term basis. Taking into account migration patterns which would result in an unnecessary burden on public funds, and allowing for special procedures applied in the case of families of EU nationals resident in Ireland, it is the general policy of my Department not to grant visas that would enable parents to join their adult children in Ireland, as dependants, on a long term or permanent basis.