Minister McEntee updates Government on increased resourcing for international protection system

The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee T.D. has today updated her Cabinet colleagues on plans to significantly increase resources for the entire end-to-end international protection process. This will include approximately 400 additional staff over the next 12 months, to maintain processing times, significantly increase removals and enhance border security.

These resources are being provided in response to rising numbers of international protection applications to date in 2024 and the likelihood that total applications for the year are now expected to amount to 20-25,000.

Earlier investment to improve the international protection process has proved effective with a doubling of staff resulting in a trebling of the number of decisions in the International Protection Office.

Strategic policy and operational approaches to speed up application from safe countries and the country with the highest number of applications are also being taken and are having an impact. Since the introduction of accelerated processing by the Minister for Justice in November 2022, the number of applications from the designated countries have halved.

Speaking in relation to plans, the Minister said:

“Our investment in the resources and processes of the international protection system to date have had a significant impact. However, with the recent increases in international protection applications it is imperative that the progress made is not compromised.

In anticipation of the challenges ahead, my department is developing a new resourcing plan to further increase staffing, panel members and other resources to ensure the system continues to operate efficiently and effectively.

In addition, the measures contained in the Migration and Asylum Pact will help us deal with increased numbers of applications.

I recognise the importance of this challenging issue to the Irish people, and I will continue to seek ways to ensure that our system works more efficiently. This will ensure that those who need protection are granted a permission and those that are not, are sent back home.”

Minister McEntee also obtained Government approval to introduce a number of legislative changes in a Bill to be enacted before the summer recess.

These include:

• Increasing the current maximum carrier liability fine from €3,000 to €5,000 in instances where they are found not to have upheld their obligations in ensuring passengers have appropriate documentation.

• Providing for the revocation of certificates of citizenship in very limited circumstances (for example where the person presents a credible threat to the state, where citizenship has been procured through fraud) – this is in response to the Damache judgment.