Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 October 2025
71. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if it is his or the Government’s intention to apply the border procedure under the Migration and Asylum Pact to families with children requesting international protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54188/25]
View answerThe health and well-being of all people who apply for international protection is a priority for myself and my Department.
The EU Migration and Asylum Pact has been designed to establish a common approach to migration and asylum that is based on solidarity, responsibility, and, importantly, respect for human rights.
Ireland’s National Implementation Plan (NIP) is anchored in the EU and the State’s commitment to the delivery and protection of human rights in line with the Constitution of Ireland, European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the UN Refugee Convention.
Under the Pact, all applicants will undergo a screening process before being triaged into a particular pathway: the border procedure, accelerated procedure, inadmissible procedure or standard procedure.
The border procedure provided for in the 2024 Asylum Procedure Regulation applies to applicants from countries of origin with a recognition rate of 20% or less across the EU, applicants who have intentionally misled the authorities by presenting false information or documents or by withholding relevant information or applicants who have, in bad faith, destroyed or disposed of documents in order to prevent the establishment of their identity or nationality, or applicants who are deemed a national security risk.
The co-location of applicant screening and case-processing in designated centres will allow for applicants' cases to be processed efficiently where appropriate support services can be provided to applicants.
The new International Protection Bill, which is currently being drafted, will provide for the application of the border procedure to families with children requesting international protection in accordance with the Asylum Procedure Regulation, and subject to the exceptions provided for in that Regulation. Where the border procedure is applied to minors and their family members, priority will be given to the examination of their applications. The border procedure will be applied to unaccompanied minors only where the minor applicant is deemed to represent a national security risk.
