Government to crack down on people seeking asylum for 'economic reasons'

Integration minister Roderic O'Gorman said 60% of people seeking international protection do not meet the criteria of fleeing war and persecution

Integration Minister Roderic O'Gorman said international protection had to be for people fleeing war, conflict and persecution. File picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

The Government is to further crack down on the 60% of people who try to seek asylum here without a proper basis for doing so.

Quicker processing times of asylum applications will clamp down on people who do not meet international protection criteria and instead are coming here for economic reasons, Tánaiste Michéal Martin and Integration Minister Roderic O'Gorman have said.