Bill published to reform Irish asylum laws

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has published the draft International Protection Bill 2015, designed to reform Irish laws around asylum seekers.

Ms Fitzgerald said the bill, which has been presented to the Oireachtas, would reduce the length of time asylum applicants spend in the protection process, including the direct provision system, by establishing a single applications procedure.

Its enactment is a key pillar of the recommendations made by the Working Group to Report to Government on Improvements to the Protection Process including Direct Provision and Supports to Asylum Seekers in June 2015.

Under the proposed single procedure, an applicant will only have to make one application, and will have all grounds for seeking international protection and to be permitted to remain in the State examined and determined in one process.

Ms Fitzgerald said: “The Bill now provides us with the legislative means to reform the current multi-layered and sequential system.”

She added: “The introduction of the single procedure, together with other reforms in the proposed International Protection Bill, will allow us to efficiently grant international protection to those who are entitled to it.

“At the same time, it will identify, at a much earlier stage, persons who have no entitlement to stay in the State and who can safely return to their country of origin.”