Written answers
Thursday, 11 July 2024
Department of Justice and Equality
Family Reunification
Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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280. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the review of her Department’s policy on family reunification will be completed; when she intends to publish revised policy in this area; if she will list the groups and individuals whom she has consulted on this policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30543/24]
Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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286. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the current state of the review being conducted by her Department on the family reunification policy of migrant workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30618/24]
Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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287. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if it has been drawn to her attention the distress and hardship that much-needed migrant workers suffer as a result of not being able to bring their families to live with them; that the family reunion policy has been under review for the past 12 months, and this delay is compounding the distress of working migrants; if she will urgently examine the rules that prevent families being reunited with a view to abolishing the salary check and the waiting period to ensure that families can be united as soon as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30619/24]
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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290. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for an update on the review of the non-EEA family reunification policy; the expected timeline for the completion of the review; if the review is examining the salary requirements and waiting times for family reunification applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30749/24]
Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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291. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will change the family reunion policy sin order that persons from a country outside the EU, who are in full-time employment, can have their immediate family live with them in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30766/24]
Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 280, 286, 287, 290 and 291 together.
As the Deputies will be aware, the Policy Document for Non-EEA Family Reunification, which was last amended in 2016, is currently under review. The review is examining a wide range of matters relating to applications for family reunification including the nature and suitability of current income thresholds and waiting periods. Officials from my Department have consulted with a wide variety of stakeholders, including relevant Government departments and organisations such as the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland and Crosscare. That engagement will continue and my expectation is that the review will be brought to conclusion later this year.
Insofar as current arrangements are concerned, holders of Critical Skills Employment Permits (CSEP) can apply for immediate family reunification at the same time as their own visa permission is being sought and they are processed in tandem. If the CSEP holder chooses not to apply for immediate reunification, applications for Join Family visas can be made at any time after they enter the state. A person residing in the State on the basis of a General Employment permit (GEP) is eligible to apply for family reunification after 12 months. Separately, it is open to spouses of general employment permit holders to apply for employment permits in their own right and enter the State for that purpose.
While I fully understand that all people moving to Ireland to live and work would wish to have their family join them, the issues to be examined as part of a family reunification application are complex. An important consideration in all family reunification applications, for example, is the ability of the sponsor to demonstrate a clear capacity to provide for their family member(s) if they are to be granted a permission to come to Ireland.
I can also advise that, with effect from 15 May 2024, the first part of the review was implemented in that eligible spouses and partners of General Employment Permit and Intra-Corporate Transferee Irish Employment Permit holders, who have applied for and been granted family reunification, in accordance with the Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy, will now be registered on a Stamp 1G permission, rather than a Stamp 3. This will allow the holder to take up employment without the need to obtain a separate Employment Permit of their own.
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