Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

The Government has dealt with unprecedented numbers of international protection applicants in recent years, following a decade of geopolitical instability. Ireland strives to maintain a robust, rules-based system for all and to ensure that our citizens are protected through the appropriate enforcement of our borders. It is this Government's utmost priority to ensure that all those who arrive at our doorstep are treated with dignity and respect. We acknowledge the difficult journey that many asylum applicants make to arrive at our borders, fleeing war and enduring treacherous voyages. Therefore, each applicant should be treated fairly and in an appropriate length of time. However, we can also acknowledge the pressure that the high numbers of applications have put on the IPO, particularly since 2022. The waiting times are not acceptable for vulnerable international protection applicants or for Irish citizens who believe in a just legal system. The median processing time for cases in early 2023 was almost two years.

What is most important is that we deliver a fair and efficient immigration system. Notwithstanding that, we must acknowledge the geopolitical challenges and our unique position in the EU to help. We must ensure that those who are entitled to protection are processed more qucikly and with efficiency, transparency and respect. As a country, we cannot tolerate abuses of the system, such as misleading authorities or destroying documents. We cannot have any tolerance for asylum shopping. We welcome the drive from the Government and the wider EU to implement an efficient and faster processing time of 12 weeks under the EU migration and asylum pact, which will be introduced in June 2026. The current process is lengthy, including 14 months for first-instance decisions and 13 months for appeal.

As I said, increased efficiency will ensure that Irish citizens can maintain trust in the State to implement a just immigration process and guarantee a robust, rules-based enforcement of legal systems. What Irish citizens want to see is efficiency, transparency, ready access to information and value for taxpayer money. This Government wants to combat the sense of powerlessness for applications stuck in the system and for our Irish citizens who are confronted with disinformation.

In 2025, we had the highest number of deportation orders in Ireland in over 20 years. I welcome the work of the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, on deportation orders, including an operation to Georgia this week, thereby ensuring that abuses of the system will not be tolerated. We need a fair and efficient system for everyone.

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