Latest news with #InternationalProtectionBill2025
Irish Examiner
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
ieExplains: How will International Protection Bill affect immigration?
The Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan on Tuesday brought a new bill to Cabinet which will see changes in how Ireland's immigration system works. The International Protection Bill 2025 sets out to implement an accelerated processing system for those from designated safe countries of origin, applicants who have received protection elsewhere in Europe, citizens of countries from which there are the largest number of applicants, and countries which have already seen numbers applying for asylum here dropping. First things first, why do we need this? The bill is, in part, needed to prepare Ireland's legislative framework for the incoming EU Migration Pact. The pact is a new EU framework to manage migration and asylum for the long-term. One of its key aims is to improve burden-sharing of asylum applications across the EU, due to some member states receiving a disproportionate number of international protection applicants. Ireland would be required to either relocate asylum seekers from other countries, or make a financial contribution to an EU-wide fund. Ireland could pay up to €13m into the EU fund instead of taking in 648 asylum seekers every year. Effectively, the pact wants the EU's laws to be in convergence and to speed up the processing of asylum applications. Ireland opted into the pact last year and it will come into effect next June, by when Ireland needs to have its laws in place. So what will change under this law? Given the focus of the pact, much of the headline changes to the system will focus on cutting processing times, particularly from countries which are considered "safe". How does it aim to do this? The new law aims to tackle long turnaround times in the current system in a number of ways. Firstly, it will make it unlawful if a decision is not made on an asylum application within three months for most cases. The three-month decision deadline will apply if a person has no documents, poses a security risk or is from a country where approvals are less than 20%. Other more complex cases will have a deadline of six months. It will also remove the use of oral hearings for appeals in most cases, with appeals set to go to what is being dubbed a "second instance body". Under the new laws, officers in the system will be able to directly issue decisions on international protection and returns — rather than recommendations. Does the legislation mean detention centres? While the legislation allows for detention centres, Mr O'Callaghan said he doesn't believe they will be used. He has, however, foreseen the use of so-called "screening centres" which are envisaged to be used as a "one stop shop" to register and lodge applications, complete relevant checks, determine the appropriate pathway for applicants, and to provide legal counselling. What are the stats on applications this year? Overall, there has been a drop of 42% in the number of applications in the first three months of 2025 when compared to the first three months of 2024. What has the Minister said? Mr O'Callaghan said his plans are not cruel and, in fact, sensible. 'At present, you'll be aware that the process of people applying for asylum and appealing any decisions at the international protection office can take up to three years. It's too long, it's too costly, it's unfair on the people who are going through the process. What I want to do is to achieve a much smoother and less costly process,' he said. What has the opposition reaction been? The Social Democrats' spokesperson Gary Gannon said the law "prioritises bureaucratic speed over human fairness" and said the Government is "chasing headlines". 'We're all in agreement that Ireland needs a far more efficient asylum process, but that doesn't mean it should have cruelty baked in," he said. 'This legislation is not about fixing what is broken - it is about chasing headlines, caving to far-right pressure, and abandoning our obligations to basic fairness and human rights." What happens next? The bill will undergo pre-legislative scrutiny over the next few months and will be published in full in November.
Irish Times
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
International protection overhaul an ‘important step' in wider reform, Minister says
Plans for an overhaul of Ireland's international protection system have been approved by Cabinet with Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan describing the proposed legislation as 'an important next step in one of the most significant reforms of Irish asylum law in decades'. Under the plans, asylum seekers will no longer have an automatic right to a full oral hearing if they appeal an international protection refusal. The proposal to dramatically reduce the average time of the appeals process forms part of draft legislation that will also give effect in Irish law to the EU Migration and Asylum Pact which is due to start in 2026. The pact, which Ireland has fully adopted, will introduce restrictive measures to limit the number of immigrants gaining access to the European Union. READ MORE On Tuesday the Cabinet approved Mr O'Callaghan's plan to progress International Protection Bill 2025. The general scheme – or outline of the Bill – will now be referred to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice for pre-legislative scrutiny. One aim of the Bill is to fast-track the appeals process for international protection applications. At present, appeals on applications that have been refused can take as long as 14 months, with an average of almost nine months for all cases. The introduction of a process without oral hearings – save in exceptional cases – is likely to lead to a significant shortening of the process. Mr O'Callaghan has stated since becoming minister that he wants the entire process of first-instance decisions and appeals to be completed within three months. [ Asylum system overhaul: What is changing beyond all the talk of reform? Opens in new window ] In a statement after Cabinet Mr O'Callaghan said: 'The current international protection system is not working effectively, with decisions taking far too long. 'The pact offers us an opportunity both here in Ireland and across the EU to reset the system.' He said the changes in the Bill include 'streamlining the decisions process, streamlining the returns process, a new 'Border procedure' with a three-month time limit for decisions, and new institutional arrangements for international protection decisions and appeals'. He added: 'It is also proposed that oral hearings of appeals will be significantly more limited than at present.' Mr O'Callaghan said this would 'drive efficiency and time savings' but the reforms will 'continue to ensure the rights of applicants, under EU and Irish law, to be heard in the application process and to have an effective remedy in the appeal process. 'These changes are ultimately about giving those who are entitled to international protection the opportunity to rebuild their lives here quickly and, at the same time, ensuring faster removals in respect of those who do not meet the criteria.' [ Asylum applicants could face movement restrictions and detention in accommodation centres Opens in new window ] Nick Henderson, chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council , raised concerns about the proposed legislation, saying: 'The shift to paper-only appeals is a retrograde and regressive step, a rollback on a well established and important part of a basic asylum process. 'Removing in-person appeals in the name of efficiency is deeply concerning and is likely to backfire, including increasing applications for judicial review.' Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said Ireland's asylum process needs to be 'far more efficient', but added: 'that doesn't mean we should have one that has almost cruelty'. He said taking decision times down to three months 'seems to me something that's going to be unduly harsh'. Mr O'Callaghan later responded, telling reporters: 'I don't think it will be cruel. In fact what I think is cruel is for somebody to be in the asylum process and to have their application and consideration of it hanging over them for periods of three years. I think it is much more efficient and fair if we have an asylum process that is determined within three months.'
RTÉ News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
What can be expected from the Government's overhaul of asylum laws?
The Government has announced a major overhaul of asylum laws, billed as the most significant reform of the area in the history of the State. So what is it all about? Here we look at the International Protection Bill 2025 and what it entails. New proposed law Ireland is already obliged to redraft its immigration laws to bring them into line with the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. The pact involves the implementation of agreed procedures across the EU to provide more aligned and more effective processing of asylum applications. It also specifies mandatory shorter timeframes along with enhanced screening and security checks on those arriving at borders. Ireland agreed last year to opt into the agreement. The pact comes into force on 11 June 2026 and Ireland is required to change its immigration laws by then to align asylum processes across the EU. Today, Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan published the outline of the International Protection Bill 2025 to give effect to these measures. Tighter decision making The Bill will make it unlawful if a decision is not made on an asylum border application within a period of three months, in the vast majority of cases. This deadline will apply to applicants from countries of origin with a recognition rate of 20% or less across the EU, or who have no documents or false documents, or who pose a security risk. The three-month deadline will also apply to appeals for these applicants. Some applications, however, may stretch to six months. Fewer oral hearings The other new plank to expediting decisions is the proposal to remove an automatic right to an oral hearing in an appeal. Applicants are still entitled to an oral hearing in the first instance and that hearing will be recorded with the transcript preserved. New appeals lodged after the Bill becomes law will be decided by a new entity called the Second Instance Body. This body will have access to the transcript of the first hearing. The Second Instance Body will replace the existing International Protection Appeals Tribunal for new appeals lodged after the Bill becomes law. Oral hearings at appeal stage will only be allowed under limited specific circumstances with the aim of saving time and costs. Opposition reaction Sinn Féin has accused the Government of delaying in reforming the asylum area. The party's Spokesperson on Justice Matt Carthy said the Government's migration policy was all over the place. He said: "Minister Jim O'Callaghan is talking tough, but processing is still taking far too long and deportations are not being enforced for those who do not have a right to be here. "The recent deportation flight to Georgia was simply a propaganda exercise to cover for dysfunction across the system, particularly when it comes to enforcement." However, Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said the new three-month deadline was cruel and lacked compassion. He said: "Imposing a three-month deadline for asylum decisions prioritises bureaucratic speed over human fairness. "International protection claims involve trauma, persecution, and complex histories. Arbitrary deadlines will inevitably lead to rushed, wrongful refusals - and the real risk of deporting people back into danger." The minister said he disagreed, adding: "What is cruel is asking someone to come into the country and then processing their application over a period of up to three years, that's where the real cruelty arises. "What we need to have is a process that gives people a quick decision. If you succeed, and are entitled to asylum you can stay, if you don't, you must leave." Detention Centres The Bill provides for the detention of applicants as a measure of last resort. The minister said today he hoped that detention centres would not become necessary but he said the proposed law was required to provide for them. Next steps The general scheme of the Bill is published today and it will go to pre-legislative scrutiny over the next few months. It is expected that the full Bill will be published in November and it must be passed into law by June 2026 in order to comply with the EU Migration and Asylum Pact.
The Journal
29-04-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Huge overhaul of asylum law in Ireland incoming as Minister does not rule out detention centres
JUSTICE MINISTER Jim O'Callaghan has received government approval to forge ahead with legislation to overhaul how Ireland responds to people seeking asylum in the State. The International Protection Bill 2025 aims to dramatically speed up the time it takes to process a person's application for international protection. Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan said today most cases will be processed within three months, while others will be done within a maximum of six months. 'If they are entitled, they're perfectly entitled to stay here. They're welcome to Irish hospitality. If they're not, they have to leave,' the minister said. O'Callaghan said the speeding up of the process will be achieved by increased staffing and a streamlining of how the current system operates. 'At present, you'll be aware that the process of people applying for asylum and appealing any decisions at the international protection office can take up to three years. It's too long, it's too costly, it's unfair on the people who are going through the process. 'And what I want to do is to achieve a much smoother and less costly process,' he said. Once enacted, one of the main changes the bill will introduce is that asylum seekers will no longer have an automatic right to a full oral hearing if their application for international protection is refused. The legislation also opens the door for the creation of detention centres for people who are seeking international protection. Asked by The Journal if the use of detention centres is going to be seen in Ireland, the Justice Minister said: 'I don't think so, but it is a provision that is going to be contained within the legislation. But simply because it's contained within it doesn't mean it's going to be used. 'I would have thought the appropriate mechanism is going to be we're going to have accommodation centres that are going to be owned by the state. The most important part of the whole process is that we'll have a speedier process.' Advertisement The bill will see the creation of 'Screening Centres' for most people seeking asylum. In an Irish context, the Department of Justice has said these are being seen as a 'one-stop shop' to register and lodge applications, complete relevant checks, determine the appropriate pathway for applicants, and to provide legal counselling. The Department said: 'It is expected that those undergoing Screening will generally be subject to appropriate alternatives to detention or allocation to a geographic area.' It will generally be expected for people to present at a screening centre when they arrive to Ireland if they are seeking asylum. This new bill must be passed by both houses of the Oireachtas in time for it to come into operation on 11 June 2026, this is to align with the EU Asylum and Migration Pact that Ireland signed up to last year. Essentially, the pact agrees a new housing strategy for asylum seekers that focuses on 'moving away from reliance on private providers'. It also allows some member states the option of paying a monetary contribution to the bloc rather than accepting migrants. Under the pact, Ireland will have permission to return IP applicants who have moved here back to another EU member state to have their claim processed if they have travelled here from that country. The government has said it is intended that the Irish bill will be drafted and published by the end of 2025. Responding to the proposed legislation today, Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said the efforts to reduce the amount of time it takes to process an asylum application, particularly the plans to reduce the use of oral appeals, seem 'unduly harsh'. 'Asylum is complex. It's not a one-size-fits-all model. 'There'll be any number of people who can't potentially give written testimony and will have to give oral testimony in terms of levelling out traumas, levelling out any number of issues about why they've had to come here in search of sanctuary,' Gannon said. Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said his party also has no interest in the creation of detention centres. 'But we do have to have a situation where the policy is implemented in a strict fashion. And one of the difficulties I have at the moment is most of the deportations are happening on a voluntary basis. You cannot have a voluntary deportation system,' he said. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
All asylum applications and appeals to take no more than three months, Justice Minister says
Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan got approval from his colleagues in cabinet to begin drafting new asylum laws. The legislation will enact strict time limits for both the application and appeals process. It will also change the appeals process which will see an appeal not automatically take the form of an oral hearing. Speaking outside Government Buildings on Tuesday afternoon, Mr O'Callaghan said the current asylum laws in Ireland were not fit for purpose. 'They take too long. They're too costly in terms of having to provide accommodation for people who are going through the process. The purpose of the legislation that I'm introducing is to speed up the process,' Mr O'Callaghan said. While the new timelines will be three months, some applications could take up to six months or as little as two months, under the new law. Currently an application can take up to three years to be processed. 'Under that legislation, when it's enacted, there'll now be strict time limits within which the processing application and indeed appeal of asylum applications should have to be heard. In most cases, that strict time limit will be a period of three months,' Mr O'Callaghan said. While increased resources and staffing will result in shorter processing times, the minister said he is focused on speeding up the appeals process. 'I will be expediting the process of appeal. The opportunity to have an oral hearing on appeal level will not be the de facto position, which it is at present, an appeal hearing will only happen in exceptional circumstances,' Mr O'Callaghan said. ADVERTISEMENT Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon criticised the proposed changes to the law and the move to reduce processing time to three months. Mr Gannon said the sweeping changes could result in a system that is unduly harsh. However, Mr O'Callaghan said that was not the intention of these new laws. 'I don't think it will be cruel. In fact, what I think is cruel is for somebody to be in the asylum process and to have their application and consideration of it hanging over them for periods of three years,' Mr O'Callaghan said. 'I think it is much more efficient and fair if we have an asylum process that is determined within three months." The new rules will be voted on in the Dáil before the introduction of the EU Migration Pact next summer, which Ireland has already committed to signing up to. Under the proposed International Protection Bill 2025, oral hearings in cases where people have had their application for international protection rejected will be curtailed. The rules would also mean decisions on granting international protection and returns will no longer have to go to the Justice Minister for approval. Instead of this 'cumbersome' process, officers of the minister would be appointed to directly issue decisions in an effort to 'bring about new efficiencies'. The bill would establish a Second Instance Body to deal with appeals. The use of oral hearings – which can currently take up to a year to be heard and require the appointment of legal interpreters – will be 'extremely limited' in an effort to 'drive efficiency and savings,' according to a briefing note for the Cabinet. There will be a new 'border procedure' for quicker return of migrants which will apply to those who mislead authorities or present a security risk. All international protection applicants would be obliged to undergo screening. This would determine whether they pose a threat to national security or public order. However, screening would also involve health and vulnerability checks. Mr O'Callaghan, who signalled a tougher line on migration since taking over the portfolio in February, will tell the Cabinet there has been a 42pc drop in the number of international protection applications in the first three months of this year compared with last year. The Bill must be passed before Ireland implements the EU Migration Pact which is due to come into effect next year.
