New immigration laws will see expansion of fingerprinting migrants and new border procedures

Justice Minister Helen McEntee will also outline a second review of safe countries to determine if further countries can be added.

Government is to agree to new immigration laws that will see an expansion of fingerprinting migrants and new border procedures under plans to go before Cabinet.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee will also outline a second review of safe countries to determine if further countries can be added. 

Ms McEntee will seek Cabinet approval for Ireland to opt in to the EU Asylum and Migration pact, which she says "will represent the biggest reform in Irish immigration law in decades".

It will mean the Government has to introduce new immigration laws within two years to be compliant.

New legislation will a complete replacement of the International Protection Act 2015 as well as:

• Legally binding timeframes for making decisions on international protection applications and appeals.
• A greater focus on efficient returns for unsuccessful applicants.
• Accelerated processing including for those from safe countries, those with no or false documents, and those who have crossed borders illegally.
• A new border procedure to more quickly process people who are particularly unlikely to be granted international protection.

It would mean new dedicated accommodation for those being processed in the border procedure or who are due to be returned to another country.

There would be a new solidarity mechanism requiring countries to either make a financial contribution or agree to relocate some asylum seekers from countries facing particular pressures.

Expansion of the categories of migrants who will be fingerprinted and checked against the Eurodac database.

The pact represents a major European effort to respond to the challenges of asylum and migration. It will involve much shorter timeframes and streamlining of applications.

The pact will oblige states to conduct enhanced screening and security checks on those arriving at borders and will also provide more effective ways for countries to cut down hugely on secondary movement, which has been a particular problem for Ireland, Ms McEntee will say.

Opting in will not have any significant impact on the Common Travel Area.

Ahead of the introduction of new legislation, the Minister has also commenced a review of safe countries to determine if further countries can be added at this time. 

The State added Botswana and Algeria to the safe countries list back in January.

Since the introduction of accelerated processing in November 2022 by Ms McEntee, the number of cases from safe countries have dropped by 38%. An initial decision for a person coming from a safe country is made in around 60 days.

The moves come on the same day that Integration Minister Roderic O'Gorman brings what is being bill as a "comprehensive" accommodation strategy for International Protection applicants to Cabinet. Sources said that the strategy will lay out how Ireland can address the immediate crisis around accommodation and build up capacity to handle up to 14,000 people by building state-owned accommodation.