Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration welcomes the entry into force of the International Protection Act 2026

Access to procedure and screening 

People seeking international protection will now present at the Citywest Reception Centre (formerly called the Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre) to make their application.

Under the act, upon arrival to the State, applicants will be required to go through screening, which will involve enhanced security and identity checks and taking biometric data. During the screening process, applicants will undergo further security, identity, health and vulnerability checks. Applicants will be provided with information about the international protection process, their rights and responsibilities, and be supported with legal counselling. The Legal Aid Board will continue to provide independent legal advice and representation to applicants for international protection in the usual manner.

Border and other procedures

This screening process will determine the procedure under which the applicant’s international protection application will be examined. International protection applicants will have their asylum claim examined through clearly defined mandatory timelines. These are:

• 2 months under the inadmissibility procedure, 

• 3 months under the asylum border procedure, 

• 3 months under the accelerated procedure, and 

• 6 months under the regular procedure. 

The border procedure has the shortest duration with a first instance decision, a return decision and an appeal of both of those decisions within 12 weeks. it will apply to applicants that are from a country where the proportion of decisions granting international protection is 20% or lower. It can also be used for applicants who are known to have misled authorities or to have destroyed or disposed of an identity or travel document.

Monitoring the border procedures

Minister O’Callaghan has appointed Karen Fergus as Interim Chief Inspector of Border Procedures to monitor compliance with fundamental human rights in the asylum Border Procedure. 

Reception during and following screening 

People in the asylum border procedure will be accommodated at Citywest Reception Centre until they receive a decision on their application. People who are in other asylum pathway procedures will be accommodated at the centre for an initial screening process. This process will take a maximum of seven days, during which time a variety of vulnerability, health and application checks will be completed by a multi-disciplinary team. Following this, people will be accommodated in other IPAS centres.

New appeal body

A new State body, the Tribunal for Asylum and Returns Appeals (TARA), will have responsibility for appeals, and the removal and deportations process will be faster and less bureaucratic.

Family reunification 

People granted international protection status will also now be required to wait two years from the date they were granted protection before becoming eligible to apply for family reunification under the new Act. Applicants must also meet a number of additional requirements, including demonstrating that the sponsor has sufficient financial resources to support family members without placing an undue burden on the State. There are certain exceptions to this where the sponsor is a minor. In addition, the sponsor must also not be in receipt of certain social protection payments or housing supports and must not owe a debt to the State for a defined period prior to submitting an application.