Over 1,000 Palestinians granted Irish visas since October 2023
Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan (Image: Brian Lawless/PA Wire)More than 1,000 Palestinians have been issued visas to remain in Ireland since October 2023.Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan has revealed that 1,790 Palestinians submitted visa applications following the October 7 attacks, with 1,068 of these being approved.Minister O'Callaghan confirmed the statistics in answer to a parliamentary question from People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy, who sought clarification on routes available for those attempting to flee Gaza and relocate to Ireland, reports the Irish Mirror.The Justice Minister said: "A lot of visas are being granted to individuals who apply for visas from Palestine. It probably does require a broader international humanitarian response."There was a broader European response with Syria and Afghanistan but there are very particular issues arising given the Israeli policy of precluding people from leaving Gaza that have an impact on policy developed by European countries."Mr Murphy stated it has been "difficult" to assist these individuals, with "little practical help" forthcoming from the Government. Minister O'Callaghan noted his department is continuing to guarantee a co-ordinated national response to support people in Gaza.Mr Murphy said he has been informed that guidance on submitting visa applications cannot be offered to those escaping the conflict. He added: "What these people need is assistance in making the best application they can. We need practical guidance on how to advise people of their visa options. We do not really have that knowledge."Ideally we would have a dedicated contact point to assist with some of the more challenging cases that come to us so that people can make whatever application they need to make."Minister O'Callaghan acknowledged the complexity of the situation, stating that Ireland does not wish to be complicit in the ethnic cleansing of Gaza.In response, Mr Murphy said: "I agree that we do not want to facilitate the ethnic cleansing of Gaza but we also do not want to say 'No' to people who want to come and join their families here. These people come to us, and I am sure the Minister has also heard many awful stories."Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content.We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
