Our Purpose

The Irish Refugee Council (IRC) provides vital services and support to people seeking protection and those recognised as refugees in Ireland. We advocate for humane, dignified protection procedures and work with individuals who have fled persecution — including torture, threats to life, or violence due to sexual identity, religious beliefs, political stance, gender, or ethnicity.

Our Vision

A world where refugees can exercise their rights, live with dignity and agency, and pursue a future defined by their courage and potential — not their status.

Our Mission

We work alongside refugees to deliver a broad range of services, share and learn from best practices, conduct research, and undertake advocacy. Our goal is to defend and strengthen rights, prevent regression, and contribute to a stronger, more inclusive Ireland.

Our Priorities

1. Driven by Lived Experience: Refugees’ experiences guide our work. Their voices shape our advocacy, services, and governance to create meaningful, sustainable change.
2. Increased Information Reach and Legal Support: In response to rising demand and the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, we are expanding our information and legal services. Our casework focuses on the most vulnerable, ensuring access to rights and monitoring standards.
3. Improved, User-Centred Services: We adopt a user-focused approach, enabling refugees to navigate and access support quickly while anticipating emerging challenges.
4. Strengthened Advocacy: We lead advocacy efforts with the Irish government, national and international stakeholders, and the public to protect and enhance refugee rights. Key areas include implementing the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and monitoring its impact.
5. Empower our people, expand our resources and strengthen governance: Our staff, processes, and governance underpin our impact. We focus on organisational development to ensure resilience, sustainability, and effectiveness.

Our Values

• People-Centred: We prioritise the voices and experiences of people who have lived through the protection process.
• Rights-Based: Our work is guided by international, EU, and Irish human rights law, including the right to seek protection and to receive dignified reception.
• Excellence: We strive for excellence in all areas, sharing knowledge and learning from others.
• Partnership: We collaborate with organisations, activists, and refugee-led communities across Ireland and Europe.
• Misneach (Courage): An Irish word meaning courage or spirit. We are relentless in pursuing a better world for refugees, fulfilling our charitable mission with courage and determination.

Our History

The IRC traces its origins to the Refugees in Crisis conference in Dublin in 1988, organised by Aidlink, an overseas development agency. This conference led to the creation of a working group that eventually established the Irish Refugee Council as an umbrella organisation for NGOs and agencies supporting refugees.

The IRC was formally registered in 1992 and obtained charitable status. Since then, it has witnessed major changes in Irish asylum law and policy, from the introduction of the Refugee Applications Commissioner to the International Protection Office and Appeal Tribunal. Although Ireland signed the 1951 Refugee Convention in 1956, the country had no system for those who sought international protection here. The first legislative framework was set out in the Refugee Act 1996 (implemented in 2000). Since its origins, it is dependent primarily upon volunteers and initially the financial support of religious bodies and individuals, it has seen tremendous changes in the asylum process with the introduction of an independent Refugee Applications Commissioner (now the International Protection Office) and a Refugee Appeals Tribunal (now the International Protection Appeal Tribunal).

Despite progress, challenges remain: overcrowding in accommodation, homelessness, and a decline in the right to asylum. Internationally, we face crises in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and the DRC, while Europe increasingly restricts access for people seeking protection. The IRC continues to work tirelessly for refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland.