2222. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration regarding the family reunification visa system whether he acknowledges the concerns of healthcare assistants who work full-time, pay tax, and serve the needs of Irish society but who are refused reunification visas as their income is deemed insufficient under the terms of the scheme; whether he accepts the view that Ireland accepts healthcare labour as essential, but the immigration system often treats family reunification as unaffordable; and his plans to examine the fairness of the thresholds. [60049/26]

2491. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will consider reviewing the family reunification rights for healthcare assistants and home care assistants who have completed two years of lawful full-time employment in Ireland in order that they can access family reunification rights similar to those available to critical skills employment permit holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62740/26]

2515. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the action he is taking to reduce the waiting time for long stay (D) visa applicants to support those working and living in Ireland, especially in the healthcare sector so their family can join them here in Ireland and keeping these vital workers in the country. [62963/26]

2615. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No. 2297 of 28 July 2026, if he will give consideration to a proposal (details supplied). [63801/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2222, 2491, 2515 and 2615 together.

I recognise the difficulties faced by workers who are separated from their spouses and children while working in Ireland, and I can assure the Deputy that the Government recognises the immense contribution migrants make to our society and economy.

The issues raised, including waiting periods, income requirements and the impact that separation can have on children and families, were carefully considered as part of the recent review of the Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy.

Following that review, I introduced a revised Family Reunification Policy on 26 November 2025. Further changes were made on 12 June 2026, including a commitment to review financial thresholds annually to ensure they remain aligned with living costs and consistent with the new statutory family reunification arrangements introduced under the International Protection Act 2026.

A key issue considered during the review was family reunification for General Employment Permit holders, including Healthcare Assistants. Extensive consultation took place with Government Departments, civil society organisations and other stakeholders on this matter.

A key principle of the policy is that individuals who bring family members to Ireland should be in a position to support them without reliance on State income supports. For this reason, financial thresholds remain part of the assessment process. Following the review, the Government decided that any future changes to these requirements should be linked to wage growth rather than reducing them below the income threshold used for the Working Family Payment.

The review also introduced changes designed to make family reunification more accessible for General Employment Permit holders. In particular, the effective waiting period was reduced from 24 months to 12 months by reducing the amount of income evidence required from two years to one year. The review concluded that a further reduction in the waiting period could lead to a significant increase in applications and longer processing times.

The policy continues to provide more favourable arrangements for Critical Skills Employment Permit holders. This reflects the State's objective of attracting workers whose skills are in short supply. Immediate family reunification is one of a number of measures that support this objective.

While there are currently no plans to align the family reunification arrangements for General Employment Permit holders with those available to Critical Skills Employment Permit holders, the policy will continue to be kept under review to ensure that it remains fair, effective and responsive to changing circumstances.

For information, the policy review report is available at:

assets.gov.ie/static/documents/160c592a/Final_Report_on_the_Review_of_the_Non-EEA_Family_Reunification_Policy.pdf.

The Family Reunification Policy is available at: www.irishimmigration.ie/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Family-Reunification-Policy-12-June-2026.pdf.

I can further advise that current processing times and visa decisions at Visa Offices in Dublin and overseas can be viewed at:

www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions.

In December 2025, the Immigration Service of my Department introduced online payment functionality to the Department's online visa system. This allows applicants to pay visa fees as part of the online application process. The initiative is being rolled out on a phased basis and is currently operational in 40 countries, with South Africa added in January 2026. This reduces the administrative burden on Irish Missions and visa teams and allows visa officers to dedicate more time to core application processing and decision-making, thereby supporting improved processing efficiency.

Furthermore, the ongoing Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) modernisation programme is designed to support a more efficient, transparent and accessible immigration system. The recent establishment of dedicated Application Submission and Join Family Case Processing teams is intended to streamline workflows, reduce duplication and strengthen expertise, thereby improving service delivery for join family visa applications.