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The latest CSO “Arrivals from Ukraine” series shows 75% still in Ireland
On 23 October 2024, the CSO released the 14th “Arrivals from Ukraine in Ireland” series. This publication uses administrative data to estimate the number of arrivals from Ukraine, and the number of arrivals still present in Ireland. Overview The total number of beneficiaries of temporary protection (BoTPs) from Ukraine granted PPS numbers was 109,566 as of 29 September 2024. … Read More
12 Sep 2024New ad-hoq query published on citizenship tests as a part of the naturalisation process
What EMN countries have citizenship tests as part of the naturalisation process? Naturalisation is the process through which an individual can receive a nationality not previously held at the time of their birth. A recent EMN ad-hoc query offers comparative information on citizenship tests as part of the naturalisation process across EMN Member and Observer Countries. The ad-hoc query … Read More
07 Aug 2024What changes have been made to immigration and international protection under the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Misc. Provisions) Act 2024?
On 23 July 2024, various changes to immigration and asylum legislation were enacted under the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Misc. Provisions) Act 2024. Process for designating safe third countries In March, the High Court ruled that Ireland’s designation of the United Kingdom (UK) as a safe third country is not compliant with EU law. The UK was … Read More
06 Aug 2024High Court rules that the State failed in duty to provide for basic needs of international protection applicants, breaching their right to dignity
On 01 August 2024, the High Court ruled that the Irish State failed in its duty to provide for the basic needs of international protection applicants, breaching their right to dignity. This case related to the difficulties encountered by the State in providing accommodation to applicants for international protection within the timeframe of December 2023 and May 2024. The judgment … Read More
31 Jul 2024Data limitations a key challenge for monitoring integration of third country nationals
A new EMN Inform on Monitoring the Integration of Third Country Nationals has found that a lack of data and limitations in the type of data available is a key challenge for monitoring the integration of third country nationals. The availability and detail of data is of key significance for monitoring integration, as 35% of EMN Member and Observer Countries … Read More
29 Jul 2024Further expansion of accelerated processing of international protection applications
On 29 July 2024, the Department of Justice announced further expansion of measures to accelerate processing of international protection applications. In April, the Department announced that international protection applicants from the country with the highest number of applications in Ireland over the previous three months will have their cases processed under an accelerated procedure. This has now been expanded to the … Read More
23 Jul 2024Legislative changes to process for revocation of citizenship of naturalised citizens
On 23 July 2024, changes were made to the process for the revocation of citizenship of naturalised citizens by the Court, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024. These amendments follow a 2021 Supreme Court judgment which found the current citizenship revocation process to be unconstitutional as it was not sufficiently independent and lacked appropriate safeguards for … Read More
17 Jul 2024Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 signed into law
On 17 July 2024, new legislation for a mechanism for the identification and support of victims of trafficking in human beings and the combatting of human trafficking was signed into law. This Act will, for the first time, put an identification and support process for victims of trafficking into legislation. What does the legislation entail? The legislation establishes a revised … Read More
11 Jul 2024EMN publishes Annual Report on Migration and Asylum 2023
The European Migration Network has just published its Annual Report on Migration and Asylum. This report provides statistical data and an overview of the most significant legal and policy developments in the European Union Member States and EMN Observer Countries in 2023. Key Findings The report presents a number of key findings such as the political agreement reached in December … Read More
02 Jul 2024Employment Permits Act 2024 signed into law
On 25 June 2024, the Employment Permits Act 2024 was signed into law, bringing in new changes to Ireland’s employment permit system. Based on recommendations of the Review of economic migration policy published in 2018, the Employment Permits Act 2024 aims to consolidate the law concerning employment permits and modernise the employment permit system, according to the Department of Enterprise, … Read More
02 Jul 2024New additions to safe country of origin list
On 02 July 2024, the Department of Justice announced that Brazil, Egypt, India, Malawi and Morocco have been designated safe countries of origin for the purpose of making a claim for international protection in Ireland. Algeria and Botswana were also added to this list in January 2024. The purpose of the safe countries list is to expedite international protection … Read More
01 Jul 2024Oireachtas votes to opt into EU Asylum and Migration Pact
On 26 June 2024, both houses of the Oireachtas voted to opt into the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. The Dáil passed the motion by 79-72 votes. What will this mean for Ireland? As a result of this decision, Ireland will need to make significant changes to current asylum law, policy and procedures, including to the International Protection … Read More
26 Jun 2024Ireland remains Tier 2 in US Department of State 2024 Trafficking in Persons report
On 24 June 2024, the United States Department of State published the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report, which tracks and assesses countries’ anti-trafficking efforts according to a tiered ranking system. In the report, Ireland is designated as Tier 2 for the third consecutive year after being moved from the Tier 2 watch list where it was placed in 2020 … Read More
25 Jun 2024Council of the European Union extends Temporary Protection until 2026
Today the Council of the European Union has adopted a decision to extend the Temporary Protection Directive until March 2026. Temporary protection provides immediate and collective protection to a large group of displaced persons from non-EU countries who arrive in the EU and who are not in a position to return to their country of origin. The temporary protection … Read More
24 Jun 2024New data on arrivals from Ukraine in CSO’s latest release
On 24 June 2024, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the 13th report in the Arrivals from Ukraine in Ireland series. The figures on numbers of arrivals are based on Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) allocations to people protected under the Temporary Protection Directive, as of 02 June 2024. Summary of arrivals In total there have been 107,406 arrivals … Read More
20 Jun 2024Ireland received just 0.3% of total global international protection applications in 2023
World Refugee Day, observed on 20 June each year, is designated by the United Nations to raise awareness about the situation of refugees worldwide. Given the salience of the topic of migration and asylum both in Ireland and across Europe, it is important that discussions on these subjects are situated in the wider context. Below, we provide you with … Read More
14 Jun 2024Commission adopts Common Implementation Plan for the Pact on Migration and Asylum
On 12 June 2024 , the European Commission published the Common Implementation Plan for the Pact on Migration and Asylum (‘the Pact’). The Plan sets out administrative, operational and legal requirements that Member States must put in place in order to prepare for the implementation of the legislation underpinning the Pact. It is expected that these requirements will be … Read More
10 Jun 2024Beneficiaries of international protection face challenges leaving government accommodation, research finds
Research published today by EMN Ireland/ESRI found that a large number of beneficiaries of international protection are struggling to move out of government-provided accommodation into autonomous housing. As of January 2024, almost 6,000 people with international protection status who could in principle move on to autonomous housing were living in government-provided International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation. This was approximately … Read More
23 May 2024Daily Expenses Allowance income assessment for international protection applicants
In June 2024, the Department of Social Protection will introduce an income assessment for the Daily Expenses Allowance for international protection applicants. The Daily Expenses Allowance is a social welfare payment for people who have applied for international protection in Ireland and who live in, or are on a waiting list for, State provided accommodation. The rate of the … Read More
21 May 2024New EMN inform examines labour market integration of beneficiaries of temporary protection
Labour market integration is crucial for people to rebuild their lives following forced displacement and attain stable livelihoods. It also decreases costs for the host societies. A joint EMN-OECD inform examines the labour market integration of beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) across 24 EMN Member and Observer Countries and compares data, policies and measures to facilitate such integration. Employment of beneficiaries of … Read More
16 May 2024Legislative changes to allow resumption of returns to UK, following High Court ruling on designating UK a safe third country
On Friday 22 March, the High Court ruled that Ireland’s designation of the United Kingdom (UK) as a safe third country is not compliant with EU law. A safe third country is a country to which international protection applicants can be returned to for processing their application, if it is considered that the applicant has a genuine connection to … Read More
25 Apr 2024Language barrier one of several challenges faced by beneficiaries of temporary protection in Ireland
New research published by EMN Ireland (within the ESRI) found that beneficiaries of temporary protection in Ireland can face difficulties accessing employment and education. This is largely due to a lack of English language proficiency, compounded by insufficient English language support provision for adults. The report also demonstrates that accessing certain services is a challenge for beneficiaries, with particular issues … Read More
24 Apr 2024Further measures to expedite international protection application processing announced
On 23 April, the Department of Justice announced further measures to expedite international protection application processing. Commencing immediately, international protection applicants from the country which has the highest number of international protection applications in Ireland over the previous three months, will have their applications processed under an accelerated procedure. Under this accelerated process, decisions will be made within 90 … Read More
19 Apr 2024New EMN Inform provides comparative overview of family reunification policy for beneficiaries of international protection
Family reunification plays a critical role in the successful integration of migrants and refugees in a new country. Additionally, family reunification schemes in the context of international protection extend protection to family members in potentially vulnerable circumstances. Following the 20th anniversary of the Family Reunification Directive, this latest EMN Inform compares national legislation, policies and practices on family reunification between … Read More
12 Apr 2024What is the EU Migration and Asylum Pact?
The EU Migration and Asylum Pact (the Pact) is a new framework aimed at managing migration and asylum in Europe. Proposed by the European Commission in September 2020, following consultation with various stakeholders, the Pact aims to address challenges and deficiencies observed in the EU’s approach to migration and asylum, which became particularly evident during increased asylum migration to Europe … Read More
02 Apr 2024Cabinet greenlights EU Migration and Asylum Pact opt-in approval process
On 27 March 2024, the Minister for Justice obtained cabinet approval to seek the necessary approvals from the Houses of the Oireachtas to opt in to measures in the EU Migration and Asylum Pact (‘the Pact’). The Pact is a set of regulations and policies designed to ‘manage and normalise migration’ for the long term, providing certainty, clarity and decent … Read More
28 Mar 2024New Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy for International Protection Applicants announced
On 27 March 2024, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) announced a new Comprehensive Accommodation Strategy for International Protection Applicants (IPAs). Since the publication of the White Paper to End Direct Provision and Establish A New International Protection Support Service in 2021, increased numbers of international protection applicants as well as the requirement to accommodate … Read More
25 Mar 2024Attitudes towards immigration remain largely positive in Ireland despite some recent declines, ESRI research finds
On 22 March 2024, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) published new research which found that attitudes in Ireland towards refugees and immigration remain largely positive, both compared with previous data on attitudes in Ireland and compared with other European countries. However, the research also found that some attitudes became less positive in the last 6 months of … Read More
13 Mar 2024Changes to income and accommodation supports for arrivals from Ukraine
On 13 March 2024, new legislation to bring into effect a revised approach to supporting new arrivals from Ukraine has been commenced. The Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 implements recently announced changes to the income supports provided to newly arriving Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in Ireland. On 12 December 2023, the Department of the … Read More
05 Mar 2024New data on arrivals from Ukraine in CSO’s latest release
On 20 February 2024, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the 12th report in the Arrivals from Ukraine in Ireland series. The figures on numbers of arrivals are based on Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) allocations to people protected under the Temporary Protection Directive, as of 04 February 2024. Summary of arrivals In total there have been 104,870 arrivals … Read More
26 Feb 2024New EMN Inform: Access to autonomous housing in the context of international protection
Access to autonomous housing plays an important role in the integration process for international protection applicants and beneficiaries of international protection. The European Commission Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027 highlights the importance of promoting autonomous housing models for international protection applicants. It also underscores the value of disseminating and scaling up successful models of inclusive and affordable … Read More
12 Feb 2024Recent European Court of Justice developments on international protection
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has recently delivered two significant rulings in relation to international protection. An Advocate General of the CJEU also delivered their opinion on Member States recognising refugee status issued by other Member States. Procedural guarantees and indirect refoulement under the Dublin III Regulation On 30 November 2023, the CJEU delivered a … Read More
30 Jan 2024New measures to expedite international protection application processing announced
On 30 January, the Department of Justice announced new measures to expedite international protection application processing. As of 31 January, Algeria and Botswana will be considered as designated safe countries of origin for the purpose of making a claim for international protection in Ireland. The changes were made following a review of safe countries of origin in the context … Read More
17 Jan 2024Expansion of Employment Permit System Announced
On 20 December 2023, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) announced significant changes to the employment permit system. The changes cross many employment sectors and include amendments to roles eligible for employment permits as well as a roadmap for increasing the minimum salary thresholds for employment permits. The changes include the addition of 11 roles to the … Read More