Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has told the Dáil that he will bring a new international protection Bill before the House later this year or early next year.
The new laws would seek to put in place a requirement to determine applications for international protection within a period of 12 weeks. Earlier this year, Mr O’Callaghan secured Cabinet approval for drafting of the International Protection Bill 2025.
The Bill sets out to put in force an accelerated processing system for those from designated safe countries of origin as well as citizens of countries from which there are the highest numbers of applicants, applicants who have secured protection elsewhere in Europe, and countries which have seen numbers applying for asylum here falling.
Speaking on Wednesday, Mr O’Callaghan said that since the summer, Ireland has been running a pilot project within the International Protection Office and International Protection Appeals Tribunal.
“That is something people may think cannot be achieved but I am pleased to tell this House that since July of this year we have been running a pilot project within the IPO and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal, IPAT, which has been assessing applications from three countries – Georgia, Brazil and India – to see whether we can fulfil our time obligations that will kick in during June of next year.”
“I am pleased to say that pilot has been successful. We have seen over 300 decisions from applicants from those countries which have gone through first stage, the appeals stage, and in many instances deportation orders signed, within a period of 12 weeks.”
The Justice Minister said that the policy objective of the Government is to ensure that by the middle of June from 2026 that applications for international protection made after that date will be proceeded “extremely quickly; within 12 weeks,” including the appeals process.
“I think that is a fair system,” he said. “I know others in the House may think it is unfair to process applications with such speed but I disagree. My view, and the policy I am seeking to set out, is that it is fairer on everyone concerned if we can get a determination in respect of applications promptly and within the 12-week period.”
Mr O’Callaghan said that the government is “getting through the appeals faster this year than last year,” but that the number of appeals pending is increasing because of the number of people who arrived during the previous three years.
‘THE REMEDY IS THAT WE SERVE THEM WITH DEPORTATION ORDERS’
Referring to those who have their applications and appeals for international protection status rejected, Mr O’Callaghan said that the remedy is “that we serve them with deportation orders.”
“If it were the case that everyone who applies can stay, regardless of whether they are successful or unsuccessful, we would not be able to cope with the numbers who would come to Ireland. I want to be frank about what would happen if we were to adopt such a policy,” said O’Callaghan.
There has to be a consequence when someone is refused international protection, O’Callaghan added. The Minister for Justice said that so far this year, 4,000 people had been issued with deportation orders and approximately 1,700 people have been removed from Ireland through voluntary returns, enforced deportations, deportations on charter flights or deportations on commercial flights.
“It is not something from which the Minister of State or I derive pleasure, but we would be neglecting our very serious responsibilities if we did not seek to do it. Voluntary return is the mechanism we prefer to ensure people will accept an assisted offer to go back,” he said/ The message has to be delivered fairly unambiguously that if people apply for international protection, are refused and are served with a deportation order, they must leave the country.
“Already this year, up to 31 October, I have signed 3,877 deportation orders and 1,770 people have had their departures confirmed through these pathways.”
CITYWEST
Regarding the situation at Citywest, Mr O’Callaghan acknowledged that deputies “will ask how it can happen that somebody with a deportation order can still be in the country.”
“When a deportation order is issued, it gives a person a certain period of time to leave the country,” he continued.
“There are mechanisms whereby he or she can seek to appeal that order, and there are mechanisms that can have an impact in delaying giving effect to the deportation order.
“On many occasions it is to the advantage of the Department and me to have people who have deportation orders present in an international protection accommodation centre. We know they are there. Recent charter flights I have directed have been assisted by the fact we knew where the people with the deportation orders were.
“They were in an international protection accommodation services, IPAS, centre and we could remove them because of that. I do not profess to say that this is an easy issue; it is not. It is complex. The Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, and I are seeking to say that there is a rules-based system and if people comply with the rules, they will be satisfactorily responded to by Ireland.”
‘ONLY FAIR’ THAT THOSE WORKING PAY TOWARDS HOUSING
Minister Colm Brophy told the House that he wants to introduce a contribution model for people in international protection accommodation.
“In this regard, a proposal was considered by the Cabinet subcommittee on migration this week, which came from the Minister and me. The programme for Government included a commitment to introduce such a system,” said Brophy.
He said that it is expected that the proposals will now be developed and timelines for implementation will be finalised and brought to Government in the coming weeks.
“While I appreciate that this has been a proposal that was there previously, the Minister and I have worked tirelessly on this over the past weeks to ensure we can bring this proposal to Government in the next few weeks.
“Not all applicants in centres are working but many are. I believe it makes sense that people who are working and paying income tax would make a contribution towards the cost of their accommodation. It is only fair.
“The system I want is a system based on fairness. If a person is working in a factory, in a shop or in a tech company, and they are working alongside somebody who is paying for their rent at the end of the month, then there is no reason that person, if he or she has an income, should not be making a contribution to their own accommodation.”