Today, roughly 400 protestors gathered in front of the Department of Justice in response to the ongoing release of Palestinian “long-stay study visas” decisions. Last week, the University Times broke that this year, 51 students have been refused and 22 have been accepted so far, compared to last year, when 144 were granted and 22 were refused. Today, the Department confirmed to the University Times that 97 total long-stay visas have been rejected and 36 have been accepted as of August 16th.
Protesters argue that the Government must put in special arrangements to be made for Palestinian students, because of the increased difficulty in gathering the documents needed for a long-stay study visa, because of the War in Gaza. Such as financial records, academic records and other supporting documents. Additionally, all visa applications are made through the Irish embassy in Tel Aviv. The Department has also confirmed to the University Times that it has “no plans” to introduce “special arrangements for Palestinian nationals”
The protest itself has been backed by many organisations, including the Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union and Students’ Unions from UCD, Maynooth, DCU, TUD, UG, RCSI, NCAD, IADT, SETU. Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éireann (AMLÉ), the umbrella organisation of Irish student unions, was present. The protest was also backed by five opposition parties: Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit, Labour and the Greens. These organisations were among several other Irish political groups, including Mothers Against Genocide and the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (ISPC).
According to UCD Associate Professor Murieann Ní Raghallaigh, co-chair of UCD’s Universities of Sanctuary committee, “almost identical paperwork” for Palestinian students had been submitted this year as last year, but has yielded “a very different outcome”.
Speaking to the University Times, Ivana Bacik TD, Leader of the Labour Party, stated: “I’m delighted to see how many people came along today and I commend the Student Unions of the country”. Bacik went on to explain that; “I’m appealing to Minister O’Callaghan to conduct an urgent review” and to; “Take a humanitarian and compassionate approach to these students”, finishing her statement to the University Times, saying; “[the Labour Party] will be pushing Jim O’Callaghan on [the visa denials]”.
Additionally, the University Times spoke to Cllr. Hazel Chu, Deputy Leader of the Greens and Cllr. Eva Dowling, spokesperson for Greens for Further and Higher Education. Cllr. Chu stated; “This is a straightforward case where the Minister can apply his discretion, and he has not done that”, citing that; “this Government needs to stop scapegoating migrants” and; “the people fleeing genocide to come here and study are not the issue”.
Cllr. Dowling added; “Ireland really knows what it means for young people to leave Ireland because circumstances have narrowed their future”, continuing; “I believe we have a moral imperative to reciprocate and to allow these people to come; it is not charity, they have earned their place in their university, and they are being tripped up at the beginning of their bright future”.
One Trinity student attending the protest stated: “Gazan students who, amidst the ongoing genocide in Palestine, managed against all odds to secure a place in an Irish University and the funding needed to move here, are being denied entry into this country by the Department of Justice because they are unable to meet requirements that are completely impossible to fulfil in a country suffering a genocide.”
“Ireland has a reputation as Europe’s leading supporter of the Palestinian people; however, if this government wrongfully denies visas to Palestinians seeking education and opportunity at our universities, that reputation will be replaced by one of shame.”
The University Times asked two questions to the Department of Justice: “(1) A request for comment on the protest outside of the department demanding a review of the decisions made on student visa rejections of Palestinian students. (2) At the protest, a speaker claimed the visa application period for Palestinian nationals is closed – is this true?”
Ciarán Casey, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice, responded, “Student visas have been granted by the Department of Justice to a total of 41 Palestinian nationals so far this year. In common with the position for all non-EU nationals, entry of Palestinian nationals is undertaken through the existing legal immigration pathways available. Palestinian nationals are visa required and must have a valid Irish visa before they seek to enter Ireland. Each application, regardless of nationality, is decided on its own merit.”
