International Protection Act 2026 commences

The International Protection Act 2026 commenced today giving effect to the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. The legislation represents the most significant reform of Irish asylum laws in the history of the State.

The objective of the Act is to provide a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure that is consistent with how asylum laws operate across the EU.

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 the taking of biometric data.

The Act also provides for faster processing, including an accelerated Border Procedure for some applicants, where all decisions and appeals will be concluded within 3 months.

The Border Procedure will be for 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.

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.

Decision-making under the Act will be faster, meaning successful applicants will be granted international protection sooner, and those whose applications are refused can be returned to their country of origin sooner.

Faster processing will result in increased savings to the exchequer with applicants spending less time in the International Protection process and in accommodation.

Read the full press release here.