Government to speed up asylum system and 'crack down' on wrongful applications
Justice Minister Helen McEntee said it is important that people who need to claim asylum are able to come to Ireland and will be offered the protection they need, but that those who abuse the system will be turned away. File picture: Brian Lawless/PA
The Government is to “crack down” on asylum seekers who abuse the International Protection system and warned those who are refused will be “sent back home”.
The tougher stance comes as Justice Minister Helen McEntee prepares to add more nations to the so-called safe countries list and speed up the application process. She will bring a memo to Cabinet on a range of measures tomorrow.
It is understood that the minister intends to increase the numbers going through the accelerated process under which asylum seekers from safe countries get a first-instance decision in less than 10 weeks — down from up to 26 months in recent years.
Department of Justice figures show there has been a 38% reduction in the number of people seeking asylum from safe countries since the expedited process began in 2022.
At present, there are eight countries deemed by the Government to be safe — Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Georgia; Kosovo; Macedonia; Montenegro; Serbia; and South Africa. Safe countries of origin are described as being states where there is generally no persecution, no torture or degrading treatment or punishment, and no threat of indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict.
More than 80% of applications from migrants on the safe list are currently being turned down, the Justice Minister said.
“This is making sure that people who shouldn’t be using the international protection system that they don’t,” Ms McEntee said on RTÉ’s .
“They’re going to be turned around much quicker, their appeal as well, and that they’re not going to be successful.”
Ms McEntee said it is important that people who need to claim asylum are able to come to Ireland and will be offered the protection they need, but that those who abuse the system will be turned away.
“If you come here, if you abuse our system, you’re going to be refused. You’re going to be turned around and you’re going to be sent back home,” she said.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin said expanding the list of safe countries would be “worthwhile”.
“There’s an obligation on Government to ensure that the rules and procedures are enforced and are adhered to,” he said.
Mr Martin said that it would be “all the better” if application processing times could be further shortened.
Responding to the growing number of protests around asylum seekers, Mr Martin said a “reflex action” has emerged in some areas to any news of refugee accommodation.
He said refugee accommodation centres were never a problem in the past, with no protests 10 or 20 years ago when new facilities were planned and opened.
“They’re all around us actually but they’re all working and there’s no one protesting it,” he said.
“So it is interesting that this phenomenon developed more strongly in the last year.
He added that gardaí will do their job pursuing people for criminal behaviour such as arson, but that people are also entitled to protest.
The Government is awaiting long-term plans from Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman on how to house asylum seekers.
These measures include opening six new large-scale asylum centres, with the first expected to be opened later this year.
The Government has yet to make public where the six centres will be located.
