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, while ensuring the integrity of Ireland's rules-based immigration system is maintained.

I introduced accelerated processing in November 2022 and it now applies to the following cohorts:

• 15 safe countries of origin - Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Egypt, Georgia, India, Kosovo, Malawi, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Morocco, Serbia and South Africa. This list has been expanded since its introduction and is regularly reviewed.
• Applicants who have received protection elsewhere in Europe.
• Citizens of the 2 countries which provide the most number of applicants in the previous quarter (currently Nigeria & Jordan). This measure was introduced in April 2024 for the top country (Nigeria) and then extended to citizens from the second highest country of application (Jordan) on the 29^th July 2024.

Under the accelerated process, applicants receive an interview date when they arrive and a first decision within three months.

Since the introduction of accelerated processing for citizens from the country with the highest number of applicants (Nigeria), applications from that country have dropped by 53%.

Overall, accelerated processing has resulted in reductions of up to 70% in applications from countries covered by these arrangements.

The Deputy may wish to know that a country may only be designated as a safe country of origin where we are satisfied that, based on the application of the law within a democratic system and the general political circumstances, it can be shown that there is generally and consistently no persecution, torture or inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment and no threat by reason of indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict.

The assessment is based on a range of sources of information, including from other EU Member States, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the Council of Europe and other international organisations as appropriate.

My decision to designate any nation as a safe country of origin for the purpose of international protection claims is a careful one following detailed reviews, in line with the above.

Under accelerated procedures, the applicant continues to have the opportunity to submit grounds, in writing and at interview, as to why their country is not safe for them. Those grounds are given due consideration. Furthermore, all applicants have the right to appeal a negative recommendation by the IPO to the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT).