Family Reunification
Dail Éireann — 2026-07-01
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Jim O'Callaghan (FF), Dublin Bay South

Last year, I and the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, introduced a new non-EEA family reunification policy. It sets out the rules that apply in respect of it. Every country in the world has a regulated system in respect of family reunification. It has to involve a system where there are rules in place. If you fit within the rules and you have the resources to bring family members over, it is permissible.
Part of the reason, I suppose, is that there are so many visa applications being received in the Department of justice. For instance, last year we received over 206,000 visa applications. That was an increase on the previous year as well. There are a lot of join family visas issued as well. In 2025, there were 14,599 join family visas. That was down on 2024. It was 17,000 that year. They have to be probed carefully. I cannot just say, "Give out the family visa".

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-07-01/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:06+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-01