Asylum fast-tracking ‘not homelessness solution’
The chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council (IRC) has expressed concern that the International Protection Act 2026 prioritises speed over fairness.
Speaking at the launch of the council’s 2025 Impact Report, Nick Henderson described the year as one of “significant change and concern for people seeking international protection and refugees in Ireland as major policy changes introduced new challenges for many”.
“A fair and effective protection system depends on people understanding and accessing their rights,” Henderson said, adding: “It is essential that applicants, communities and the organisations supporting them receive clear, timely, and accessible information”.
Acknowledging the value of an efficient system, Henderson said: “While timely international protection decisions are important, we are concerned when fast-tracking applications and requiring people – including families with status – to leave State-provided accommodation are presented as solutions to homelessness.”
Policies ‘undermine work’
He said that the council was also “extremely concerned” that new family-reunification laws would separate families.
“These policies undermine the work of local communities, organisations, and public bodies working every day to support integration”, he added.
As well as outlining the council’s range of work in 2025, the report noted an EU Court of Justice decision confirming that Ireland has a legal obligation to meet the basic needs of homeless international-protection applicants.
The IRC Law Centre represented the applicant.
The report shows that the council received more than 20,000 calls to its helpline last year, while more than 3,400 people received intensive one-to-one support.