International Protection Bill 2026: Committee Stage
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-18
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Matt Carthy (SF), Cavan-Monaghan

I have a couple of technical questions. Section 5 removes several parts of the 2015 Act, repealing Part 2, Part 8 and specific sections. It is effectively clearing out older procedures to make way for the new system. Are there old procedures that are not included in the new Act? If so, can some detail be provided on that?
Part 2 sets out the framework for making international protection applications, including preliminary interviews and how claims are lodged. If he has that information, will the Minister of State detail what the change will look like in the application process, the interview process and the lodging of claims? If this Act comes into place in the summer, what will be the difference between September and now?
The previous Act designated Britain a safe third country - at least that is my understanding - and the current Bill does not. Instead, it creates a case-by-case safe third country test that requires the Minister to assess whether a country meets specific standards. Because Britain is not part of the EU framework any more, am I right in saying a new assessment would have to be carried out? Will the Minister of State clarify whether Britain will be deemed, post the enactment of this legislation, a safe third country?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-18/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:39+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-18