Aged Out Minor Expand When an unaccompanied child turns 18 and their application for asylum is still pending they are moved from the care of the state into the Direct Provision system and become known as an “aged out minor”. Read more
Asylum Seeker Expand Asylum seekers are people seeking protection as refugees, who are waiting for the authorities to decide on their applications. They are legally entitled to stay in the state until their application for protection is decided. They also have a right to a fair hearing of that application and to an appeal if necessary.
Direct Provision Expand The system for accommodating people in the asylum process in Ireland. People are accommodated in communal accommodation centres which are run on a for-profit basis by private contractors. The centres provide food, board and for people’s basic needs. In addition to bed and board people receive a weekly cash allowance of €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child and a medical card. While in this process people are not entitled to usual social welfare payments, although they may apply for an exceptional needs payment from the local Community Welfare Officer. The weekly allowances and exceptional payments are awarded on a discretionary basis by the Department of Social Protection.
Dublin III Expand The Dublin III Regulation (Regulation (EU) No. 604/2013) establishes a system for determining and identifying the Member State in Europe responsible for the examination of an individual’s asylum application. It sets out a hierarchy of criteria for determining the responsible Member State including factors such as: the presence of family members in particular States the issuing of visas and residence documents and the travel route of a person into Europe For more information on the impact of the Dublin III Regulation read the Dublin Transnational Network Project ‘Dublin II Regulation: Lives on Hold ‘ report Download Report ECRE Publications: The Dublin system in 2017: Overview of developments from selected European countries The Road Out of Dublin: Reform of the Dublin Regulation Beyond Solidarity: Rights and Reform of Dublin
EU Relocation Programme Expand This is a scheme whereby EU members states, including Ireland, were asked to demonstrate solidarity with Greece and Italy by agreeing to relocate a number of people from camps in Greece and Italy to have their applications for asylum processed in their country.
EU Resettlement Programme Expand This is a scheme whereby EU members states were asked to commit to offer resettlement to their country for programme refugees from places like the Lebanon and Jordan. The people brought to Ireland under this scheme are already recognised as refugees and have been processed by UNHCR before their arrival. Ireland has a long history of accepting resettled refugees under Resettlement Programmes.
Family Reunification Expand People with refugee status or subsidiary protection have the right to apply for certain family members to join them in Ireland. Read more about family reunification.
International Protection Appeals Tribunal (formerly the Refugee Appeals Tribunal) Expand The Tribunal decides appeals of people whose application for international protection status has not been granted by the International Protection Office. The Tribunal also determines appeals under the Dublin System Regulations.
International Protection Office (formerly the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner – ORAC) Expand The International Protection Office (IPO) is the office responsible for processing and deciding applications for international protection under the International Protection Act 2015. It also considers, as part of a single procedure process, whether applicants should be given permission to remain.
Permission to remain Expand A person may be granted ‘permission to remain’ in Ireland for humanitarian or other compelling reasons. This is at the discretion of the Minister for Justice. People with permission to remain can live and work in the country, but cannot apply for family reunification. The conditions attached to ‘permission to remain’ can vary considerably.
Refugee Expand A refugee is anyone who cannot return to their country for fear of persecution for one of the following five reasons: Race – including ethnicity Religion – in some countries having no religion is viewed as badly as being of the ‘wrong’ religion Nationality Membership of a particular social group – this can include things like membership of a trade union, your gender (i.e. male or female), your sexual orientation Political opinion – this does not simply mean that you have to be a member of a political party, but if you have any political opinions, or even if people think you do. Refugees are entitled to be protected against forcible return to their countries of origin.
Separated Children / Unaccompanied Children Expand Children under 18 years of age, who are outside their country of origin, and separated from both parents and their previous/legal customary primary care giver. Young people who fall into this category are under the care of the Health Service Executive (Tusla) in Ireland.
Subsidiary Protection Expand Under an EU Directive implemented in Ireland in 2006, a status of subsidiary protection was introduced. If a person is from a third country i.e. outside the E.U. or is stateless and does not qualify as a refugee but does face a real risk of suffering serious harm if returned to his or her country of origin, they are eligible for subsidiary protection.
Smuggling Expand Trafficking is not to be confused with people smuggling. Smuggling refers to situations where a person or persons pay someone to be transported to a different country of their own free will. In many cases the person acquiring the services of a smuggler is in a very difficult situation and this may be the only available option to them to access a place of safety or country in which they wish to apply for asylum. In most cases smugglers operate as a business and charge people large sums of money for journeys with no guarantees for their safety or of reaching their intended destination.
Trafficking Expand Trafficking refers to situations where people are moved from place to place or country to country against their will or under duress, by means such as deception, coercion or force, usually for the gains of others, in that the person(s) trafficked will be exploited for financial gain.