Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department is taking all necessary steps to manage the international protection process fairly, efficiently and effectively, as part of the broader Government response, while ensuring the integrity of Ireland's rules-based immigration system is maintained.

The State is required to examine the application of anyone who presents at the borders of the State, or is in the State, and indicates that they wish to make an application for international protection. This is in accordance with our obligations under international and EU asylum law.

The Deputy may be aware that on 31 December 2020, the UK was designated as a safe third country for the purpose of the International Protection Act 2015 in line with EU law. This allows a determination to be made, following an individual examination and under defined circumstances, that an application for international protection be treated as inadmissible where the person has arrived in the State from the UK where they have an outstanding or previous application for international protection in the UK.