Government to expand list of 'safe countries' in bid to cut asylum seeker numbers

The Government also wants to substantially increase the fines that are imposed on airlines if passengers arrive here without passports or official documents. File photo

The Justice Minister is to expand the list of "safe countries" in a bid to cut down on the numbers arriving here seeking international protection.

Helen McEntee has told fellow ministers that she plans to add more countries to the current list of eight safe countries and will have a memo ready to go to the Government for sign-off in the coming weeks.

The Government also wants to substantially increase the fines that are imposed on airlines if passengers arrive here without passports or official documents.

It is understood Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien suggested that the current airline penalties which stand at €1,500 per offence, should be doubled and perhaps tripled. There was broad agreement to this proposal during a meeting of the Sub-Cabinet Committee on Ukraine this afternoon.

Out of the 16.6m passengers that arrived through airports, 3,285 could not provide documentation and the Government accepts that this must be tackled.

Outlining her plans to expand the list of safe countries, Ms McEntee pointed out that the number of people arriving from Georgia has halved since it was added to the list of "safe countries".

Ministers also discussed health provisions for those arriving from Ukraine and elsewhere as well as education.

It is understood Education Minister Norma Foley called for increased capital investment in schools, pointing to a particular pressure at secondary level and late primary level.

Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe, who attended the meeting, is already engaging with a number of Departments on funding for capital projects.

Both the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste stressed the need for a coherent and coordinated communications strategy on the asylum process and accommodation for both Ukrainians and others seeking protection here.