Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 May 2026
39. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration how the new TARA system for IPAS applicant sorting will work; and how long an applicant's process will take under the new system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35772/26]
View answerI understand the Deputy's question relates to how the Asylum and Migration Pact will operate. I can advise the Deputy that the International Protection Act 2026 was passed into law last month and gives effect to the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. The new rules will take effect on 12 June 2026 and my Department continues to prepare in advance of this date.
Under the Pact examinations to determine whether a person qualifies as a refugee or is eligible for subsidiary protection will be conducted by the determining authority and the new appeals body, the Tribunal for Asylum and Returns Appeals (TARA), the appellate body under the 2026 Act IP Bill 2026 to determine appeals arising post 12 June 2026. The International Protection Appeals Tribunal will continue in existence to hear appeals relating to applications under the International Protection Act 2015.
The Pact will provide a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure. This will be achieved through convergence in asylum practices across the EU including standardised processing times for first-instance decisions: six months for the standard procedure, three months for the accelerated procedure and two months for the examination to determine whether an application is inadmissible.
The maximum duration of the asylum border procedure shall be 12 weeks from when the application is registered until the applicant receives their final decision (including the outcome of any appeal they may make). If they are not granted protection, they no longer have a right to remain in the State and are not allowed to so remain.
The maximum time periods provided for by section 197 of the 2026 Act for the conclusion of examinations of appeals are as follows:
(a) where the appeal is against a decision to reject an application as inadmissible, 2 months,
(b) where the appeal is in respect of an application considered in the accelerated examination procedure, 3 months,
(c) where the appeal is in respect of an application considered in the asylum border procedure, as soon as possible having regard to the maximum duration of that procedure,
(d) where the appeal is against a return decision and no appeal has been brought against the related decision, 28 days, and
(e) in every other case, 6 months.
Faster processing under the Pact will mean that applicants spend less time in International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation, and this will significantly reduce the cost of the asylum system to the State.
