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.