AN AMERICAN WOMAN has appealed to be allowed stay in Ireland, where she has settled in her retirement.
Speaking on today’s Liveline programme, 67-year-old Gayle Stacey said that she had grown up believing in her Irish ancestry so much that she retired to west Cork.
She has been renting in Ballydehob for over a year and a half. She said that she had come after two years of research and that she had not applied for any support from the State.
She was told last August that she had to leave Ireland so she went to Northern Ireland for a few days and then came back in again. She went to France then for 3 months but on her return she was sent back to France.
She says that she has been told that she must have a €50,000 annual income, with a minimum of €150,000 in savings that is not to be touched.
“I’m not wealthy, but I live a comfortable life in West Cork. I volunteer in the community, I have lots of friends here and it’s a beautiful, wonderful, peaceful life.
“I applied for a driver’s licence and had to get a PPS number. They accidentally sent me a public services card which gives me free travel, but I sent that back because I have no need and no desire at all to take a single penny from the state. I only want to give to the state – monetarily, by volunteering and being a good neighbour.”
Gayle estimates she has spent €100,000 since coming to Ireland and says that she has “tried to do every single thing by the letter”.
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Gayle says that she has been given two weeks to leave the country because she does not fulfil income criteria.
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice says that they cannot discuss individual cases.
“However, in general, the simple fact that someone may wish to settle here as a retired person does not, of itself, create an entitlement for that person to do so. Over a number of years retired persons seeking to come to Ireland to live has become a prominent new channel for migration into the State.
“The overriding requirement is that such persons must be able to show that they have sufficient resources.”
In particular, they must satisfy the immigration service that they:
The statement added that the policy is under a review which is being finalised. They added that any appeal would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
“Each case is considered on its merits and it is open to any applicant to appeal a decision. Any such appeal would also be decided on its merits.”
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