Refugees to reunite here with loved ones

MORE than 500 family members of refugees who have settled in Ireland will be allowed to come here and reunite with their loved ones, the Irish Daily Mail can reveal.

The Cabinet is today expected to approve plans by Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan to allow family members other than spouses and those under 18 – who are already allowed to join their relatives – also come to Ireland.

Mr Flanagan and David Stanton, the junior justice minister, are to outline the details of a new family reunification scheme for refugees and their families under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme.

The Justice Minister is expected to brief the Cabinet on proposals to make 530 places available for immediate family members from conflict zones, such as Syria, to re-join their relatives who are already here.

Furthermore, the Government has committed to taking a minimum of 600 more refugees in each of the next two years, to help Ireland reach its commitment of taking in a total of 4,000.

It is understood that by the end of this year approximately 2,200 refugees will have been resettled in Ireland.

A source said the minister would use his ‘discretionary powers’ to introduce the scheme, as he had indicated to senators during the summer, when they introduced private members’ legislation on the issue of refugee family reunification.