The Department of Justice has committed to processing all asylum applications within six months, with international protection applicants from safe countries to be handled in just twelve weeks.

The plans for implementing the EU Migration and Asylum Pact was published yesterday evening and has been submitted to the European Commission.

The Government hope that the plan to speed up processing times could eventually take the pressure off the system to source accommodation.

It currently takes an asylum seeker almost one year to have their first interview after they first apply.

The Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan revealed earlier this week that 81% of people who applied for asylum this year had their application rejected at first instant.

When an asylum seeker has their application rejected at first instant, they have a right to appeal.

The Department of Justice says the current median processing times between an appeal being lodged and a decision on the appeal is almost one year (11.9 months).

Members of the public pass tents belonging to asylum seekers along the Grand Canal, as news reports indicate the number of tents has now increased to above 100. Photograph: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie

So, processing times from first application to a decision on an appeal is currently around 29 months.

However it’s claimed that the process will be sped up significantly in respect of international protection applications lodged from June 12th, 2026.

A new appeal structure will replace the current International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT), with it envisaged that applicants will only be given one appeal opportunity if there application is rejected, this includes an appeal of a return decision, if one is issued.

Meanwhile there will be six “designated reception centres”, where initial screening of applicants will be completed within seven days.

This will include taking fingerprints, including from children, and entering applicants’ details on to the new EU-wide Eurodac IT system for monitoring of all asylum applicants’ movements.

The locations of these reception centres is not yet known.

Tents housing asylum seekers on Mount Street last month. Image: Leah Farrell/© RollingNews.ie