Many seeking answers on status of applications to Dept of Justice - By Chinedu Onyejelem

More immigrants are turning to their public representatives to seek answers on various immigration issues they face in Ireland.

Metro Éireann understands that the problems for which immigrants contact their TDs and senators for help include updates on applications for visas, residency, family reunification and eligibility for naturalisation submitted to the Department of Justice.

The majority of immigrants seeking assistance from politicians also have solicitors representing them. “Sometimes it is easier to get results through the politicians than the solicitors,” one immigrant who has previously received help from his local TD told Metro Éireann.

Among those Dáil deputies who recently made representations for their immigrant constituents include Kerry independent Michael Healy-Rae; Fianna Fail TD for Longford and Westmeath, Robert Troy; and Fine Gael’s TD for Kildare North, Bernard J Durkan, who submitted 11 of 13 related parliamentary questions published recently.

In one of these cases, Durkan asked the Minister for Justice “if, following the provision of DNA evidence in the case of a person … they are eligible to qualify for Stamp 4 or long-term residency.”

In his response, Minister Charles Flanagan clarified that the application was for “right of residency accompanied by a right to work based on their parentage of an Irish citizen child and which was received in the Department on 3 October 2017.”

The minister added that the results of the DNA test have now been received and the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) would be in contact with the applicant in due course.

Separately, Deputy Robert Troy enquired from the minister if he would guarantee that an individual he was representing, believed to have no residency at the moment, can be allowed to “return for a short period to their home country and subsequently re-enter the country.”

Minister Flanagan replied that where a person has not yet had a final decision made in their case to remain in the State “it is open to the person concerned to avail of the option of voluntary return. This option, if taken up, would leave it open to the person concerned to apply to return to this State at a future date should they establish a valid basis for doing so.”

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