The new Minister for Justice has vowed to speed up the asylum process. 

Fianna Fáil’s Jim O’Callaghan said believed that immigration has had a “very positive benefit” on Ireland over the past few decades. 

However, he also said he wanted to see a “stricter migration system” which would be ‘fair but firm’. 

“It needs to be speeded up,” he told The Pat Kenny Show. 

“In fairness, the process is speeding up; last year, in 2024, we had 14,156 applications for international protection processed. 

“Of them, 9,227 were refusals - but we need to let people know fairly promptly if they’re not going to be allowed to stay in Ireland.

“So, they can leave and get on with their lives.” 

A makeshift camp of asylum seeker tents on the Grand Canal in Dublin city, Ireland. Image: Mark Henderson / Alamy. 7 May 2024

Some international protection applicants have seen their cases drag on for years before a final decision is made. 

Minister O’Callaghan said he would ideally like to get applicants a final answer “within six months”. 

“What happens now is that the delay is at the appeal section,” he said. 

“People can appeal it to the International Protection Appeal Tribunal.

“That delays it considerably; we need to resource it more.” 

Irish passport control at Dublin Airport. Image: PA Images / Alamy

Minister O’Callaghan also said the EU Asylum and Migration Pact - which Sinn Féin opposed on grounds of sovereignty - would “speed up the process”. 

“Under the new legislation that’s going to be brought in - we have to bring it in by 2026 - we’re going to see much tighter timelines,” he said. 

“I think that it’s only fair for this country that we have those quick processing materials - but also, for the individuals who are making the application.” 

Violence against women and girls

As well as immigration reform, Minster O’Callaghan also said he hoped to do more to tackle the “scourge” of violence against women.  

“My predecessor Helen McEntee did a very good job of really pushing that forward on the political agenda - I also want to do that,” he said. 

“I think maybe, as a man and as a father, it’s something I can also advance. 

“Because really, we need to have a conversation with men and boys in respect of it.”

Main image: Jim O'Callaghan and tents along the Grand Canal.