The GAA Palestine group has officially lodged an appeal over the denial of visas for their planned trip to Ireland this month.
A team of 33 children and 14 mentors from the West Bank were due to travel to Ireland for a summer tour this Friday, but were denied entry by the Department of Justice.
A spokesperson for GAA Palestine told RTÉ News that it lodged the appeal just after 1pm today and that they hope that officials in the department will now deal with the appeal promptly.
Before the appeal was lodged, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice had previously said the group has been sent links with information on how to upload the relevant documents.
The department had said that if an appeal is lodged, that it will be assessed promptly.
The department spokesperson said it appreciates that the decision to refuse the applications has caused disappointment.
"These applications were given very careful consideration and the reasons for their refusal have been communicated in the decision letter.
"Each visa application is decided on its own merits. However, it is the case that the organisation of an event, no matter how good the intention, does not guarantee that a visa will be subsequently granted.
"Applications made on behalf of minors who are not travelling in the company of their parents must be supported with evidence that appropriate child protection measures are in place during the visit.
"In all cases, evidence of financial means, employment or other ties that indicate a person intends to return home are important criteria," they said.
The visa appeals process allows applicants to address any factors of the original refusal decision and have that application considered again.
GAA Palestine said it has been told by the department that a process to appeal would take an "indefinite amount of time" and so "effectively prevents" the team's scheduled trip to Ireland from going ahead.
GAA Palestine expresses 'outrage'
In a statement last night, it expressed "outrage" over the Department of Justice's handling of the issue, saying it was "profoundly disappointed" over its "refusal to facilitate" the trip.
It said that despite numerous attempts to engage, the department provided an appeals process that "guarantees the trip cannot proceed within the timeframe required".
"We requested the Department of Justice to engage directly with us to verify and provide assurance that all documentation was in order, but our efforts were met with silence," it said.
The organisation’s executive travelled to Dublin to seek clarity and a resolution to the case, but said despite assurances from a secretary within the department that they would meet a senior officer, they instead received an email directing them to an appeals process.
"This process, we are told, will take an indefinite amount of time and effectively prevents the team from travelling on 18th July."
The organisation also said that it stands to lose €38,000, which was spent on tickets for flights to Ireland, while it considers alternative locations for a summer camp.
It has called on Irish authorities to reconsider their visa application and facilitate the team’s trip.
The organisation’s founder, Stephen Redmond, said they were "deeply disheartened and outraged".
"Despite providing all necessary documentation and engaging in good faith, we have been met with dismissiveness and an appeals process that, in reality, guarantees our trip will not happen. This is not just a logistical setback; it’s a blatant disregard for fairness, transparency, and the spirit of sport that unites us all."
Mr Redmond said the organisation’s executive will remain in Dublin and are hopeful that a resolution can be found.
"We genuinely want to come together and work constructively to remedy this situation. We are ready and available to engage in meaningful dialogue and to explore any options that might allow our players to participate," he said.
"Our players deserve better, and we will continue to fight for their right to participate and showcase their talent."
'Soul destroying' if tour does not go ahead
Good Counsel-Liffey Gaels GAA Club in Dublin had been chosen as one of the host clubs for the Palestinian GAA visitors.
A coach at the Drimnagh club, Hughie Cullen, said he is "devastated" the visit might not go ahead.
He discussed how the club had been preparing for Sunday, when the Palestinians should be coming to visit, to have lunch and meet the young Good Counsel players and their host families.
"It was going to be something special for the club," Mr Cullen said.
He said the young players from the club were aware of what had been happening around the visa applications.
"One of the young lads, he's about 12, told me this morning he was on the phone to the Minister for Justice but the phone line was busy."
Another club member, Leah O’Shaughnessy, said she has felt helpless about the situation for Palestinians and that hosting some of the visitors was something "tangible we could do".
"We really struggled with the feeling of powerlessness, and this was really something solid that we were able to do, to maybe give those Palestinian kids some hope."
Ms O'Shaughnessy and her mother have been getting ready to host two of the Palestinian boys.
She said they wanted to give the Palestinian boys some hope.
"The last couple of days have been tough, because everything is up in the air, so unsure about whether it’s going ahead, it’s been really heartbreaking."
Ms O'Shaughnessy said her and her mother have been learning about what the boys might need, from Halal food to lighter duvets in hot weather.
She said they have been getting bedrooms ready and preparing the house for the visitors to make sure they have a memorable time in Ireland.
She appealed to the Department of Justice: "It is so important they use every lever they have to get this across the line."
Ms O'Shaughnessy said it is important to make sure these children do not feel abandoned.
"We promised them a summer of a lifetime and to pull that rug from underneath them now would be absolutely soul destroying."
