Ireland: New Asylum Law Passed in June Despite Criticism

Ireland has passed the International Protection Act, introducing new rules for granting asylum to speed up decision-making and improve support for applicants. This is linked to the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which will come into effect in June.

The bill was passed in haste, drawing criticism from civil society groups. Debate on the bill ended after it was "guillotined" in parliament on Wednesday evening, limiting the time for deputies to examine the details.

The bill aims to speed up decisions on asylum applications, but concerns remain about respect for human rights, including the possible detention of applicants, limited access to legal aid, and new restrictions on family reunification.

Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan called the passage of the bill a "key step" in implementing a rules-based system of migration and asylum in Ireland and the EU.