Today, the High Court quashed the Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan’s refusal of a student visa for Shaymaa Abudalu. Abudalu has a full scholarship at University College Cork (UCC) and is set to study Engineering. A new decision is due within 10 working days.
Last week, the court heard that UCC had sent documents supporting Abudalu’s fluency in English that the visa decision-maker didn’t see. Mr Justice Anthony Barr called it a “substantial hole”. The decision-maker also falsely stated that Shaymaa had not submitted a financial summary form. The Minister’s counsel argued that she should wait for a decision on her statutory appeal, but the Court heard that this would likely mean Abudalu would have to wait a full year to begin her studies.
Now, Abudalu can make a fresh application, and the Minister must make a decision within 10 working days.
Abudalu said of the decision: “I am so grateful to the Court and to everyone who has stood by me. Through everything I have lost, my studies have kept me going. I hope that very soon I will be able to leave Gaza safely and continue my studies in Cork, and make my family proud.”
Alannah Faulkner of Phoenix Law said: “The Court has set a clear timeframe for a fresh decision so that she can be on the evacuation flight on 23 November and take up her place at UCC this year. We now look to the Minister to act swiftly and in the spirit of the Court’s judgment, so that this young woman can finally begin her studies in safety.”
The University Times reported that the visa acceptance rate for Palestinian students is 30 per cent, compared to last year when it was 85 per cent. 93 visas have been refused, and 45 have been issued. Last year, 122 visas were granted, and 22 were refused.
