This International Protection Bill represents the most significant overhaul of the Irish protection system since the Refugee Act 1996 as amended. Therefore whilst being cognizant of the need for swift legislative action it is important that sufficient time is given to analyse the implications of the amendments to the protection system as presented in the current Bill. This represents a significant opportunity for Ireland to make some fundamental reforms by placing the right to asylum at the core of the Irish protection procedure and addressing the shortcomings of the previous asylum system.

This briefing paper provides a number of suggested amendments to the current legislative text and also highlights some key areas where there are lacunas in the law which should be addressed in a revised version of this Bill. As guidance for suggested amendments the IRC refers to elements of the Common European Asylum System and recommendations from the Working Group on the Protection Process where appropriate. This paper should also be read in conjunction with our comments on the general scheme of the International Protection Bill published in May 2015.

Download Paper

Download Introduction