Taoiseach pressed to intervene as Irish Gaza student visa rejections surge

A Palestinian scholarship student from Gaza has appealed to Taoiseach Micheál Martin to intervene after dozens of students were refused visas to study in Ireland, the Irish Examiner reported. The student said the Irish leader's recent address to the United Nations General Assembly had given hope to the Palestinian people. During that speech last month, the Taoiseach stated that the full revelation of the true horrors of Gaza will shame the world. [1]

Data published by the Irish Examiner shows a significant rise in study visa refusals for Palestinians. In 2025, Ireland refused 22 out of 164 long-stay study visa applications from Palestine, which represented a 13 percent refusal rate. This year, the refusal rate has risen to 83 percent, with 114 out of 138 applications turned down. [1]

The latest appeal follows wider concerns over Palestinian visas. As FTMQ News reported earlier, a group of academics recently called on the Taoiseach to intervene after four Palestinian students with university places and funding were denied entry. Three of those students remained in Gaza while one was in Spain. [5]

Legal challenges against the decisions have achieved some success. As FTMQ News reported earlier, three Gazan students were granted leave to enter Ireland after successfully appealing against earlier visa refusals. That outcome followed an agreement between Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan and lawyers representing the students, with one student set to attend University College Cork. [6]