Asylum

Sweeping changes to Ireland's migration and asylum system have been set out by the government, including significant new restrictions on family reunification rights and citizenship applications. Most of the changes announced today concern refugees and asylum seekers, though controversial changes to

The Supreme Court has held that a provision of the International Protection Act 2015 specifying the parameters for eligibility for family reunification applications is not contrary to law. Delivering judgment for the Supreme Court yesterday, Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne and Mr Justice Maurice Collins

Irish government plans to follow the UK in making it harder for refugees to secure permanent settlement are "deeply alarming", the Irish Refugee Council has said. Ministers will this week decide how to respond to sweeping changes announced by the UK government, which claims the UK system is too gene

Ireland could follow the UK in tightening asylum rules to avoid being "viewed more favourably than the UK" by asylum seekers, Jim O'Callaghan has suggested. The UK government yesterday set out significant and controversial plans to address "the comparative generosity of our asylum offer when compare

Rioters who attacked gardaí and property at a racist protest outside the Citywest asylum seeker accommodation centre yesterday "will be brought to justice", Jim O'Callaghan has vowed. Gardaí were pelted with missiles and fireworks and a Garda van was set on fire during the public disor

Ireland's asylum appeals system is to receive EU assistance with its significant backlog. An operational plan to support the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) has been agreed with the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration confir

Plans for reform of the international protection system may fall short of Ireland's legal obligations under the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, the government has been told. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) this week warned the Oireachtas justice committee that it has signif

A developer has launched legal action against the government over a collapsed deal to convert two Dublin buildings into international protection accommodation centres. Lonadale Ltd alleges that the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration reneged on agreements reached with the Department of

Landmark legislation transposing the controversial EU Pact on Migration and Asylum into Irish law is to be scrutinised in the Oireachtas this afternoon. The Oireachtas joint committee on justice, home affairs and migration will meet from 3pm to 5.30pm today for pre-legislative scrutiny of the genera

Plans to transpose the controversial EU Pact on Migration and Asylum into Irish law have major human rights gaps, according to a new analysis. The Coalition on the EU Migration Pact, composed of 10 civil society organisations, has published an in-depth analysis of the general scheme of the Internati

The Irish Refugee Council has condemned a government initiative offering asylum seekers more money to leave Ireland as "unethical and inappropriate". People who have no legal status in Ireland, or whose application for international protection has been either withdrawn or refused, can access "reinte

Asylum seekers are to be offered greater financial support of up to €2,500 per person or €10,000 per family to voluntarily leave Ireland sooner, the government has announced. People who have no legal status in Ireland, or whose application for international protection has been either withd

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has confirmed plans to appeal before the Supreme Court in a case concerning the human rights of asylum seekers who have not been provided with accommodation. The High Court ruled in August 2024 that the State had breached the human right to dignity of 2

Projects providing support services to children, young people and their families staying in international protection accommodation are to benefit from €1.75 million in funding. The additional funding will go to children and young people's services committees (CYPSCs), which bring together

Governments should not lose sight of their human rights obligations when negotiating deals to transfer asylum, return and border control functions to other countries, the Council of Europe's human rights commissioner has warned. Michael O'Flaherty made the remarks today as he published a new report,