Residency amnesty for 30,000 parents

OVER 30,000 non-EU parents of Irish-born children are likely to be granted permanent residency status over the next few months.

The Department of Justice has confirmed that it has received over 15,500 applications to date from such families as part of a special once-off scheme.

It was announced by Justice Minister Michael McDowell last January after last year’s controversial referendum to limit the automatic right of children of foreign parents born in the Republic to reside here was passed.