Get The Facts: Irish Context

Under the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 2015 International Protection Act, Ireland must process applications of people fleeing war and persecution. Below are answers to common questions on international protection in Ireland.

On what grounds do people apply for international protection?

International protection is a form of protection for people fleeing persecution and war. Persecution applies to individuals facing harm because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership of a social group (e.g., LGBTQ+ people, Rohingya people).

How are international protection applicants accommodated?

International protection applicants stay in Direct Provision centres—ranging from centres like Balseskin, to hotels like Citywest, guesthouses, vacant offices, and tents—while awaiting decisions. They cannot access social housing or homeless services. Due to accommodation shortages, thousands are currently homeless.

Why do some people seeking protection arrive without a passport?

EU and Irish law allows anyone at Ireland’s border, legally or not, to apply for protection since no visa exists for this, and refugees often struggle to obtain one. Various reasons may prevent a person from providing documents on arrival including:

Smugglers and traffickers: Many must travel illegally, often relying on smugglers who reclaim passports on arrival, forcing the person to present to authorities without a document.
Fear of retribution: For some, obtaining passports or visas is impossible or dangerous. Visiting government offices may risk their lives, forcing them to travel without documents or use false ones. Fear of state penalties prevents them from disclosing this.
Fear of immediate removal: Some fear that presenting the document will lead to immediate removal to the country they travelled from or their home country, where they may face persecution.

How do Deportation Orders work?

Ireland and EU reserve the right to determine immigration and border policies but this right must be balanced with the humanitarian and legal duty to support people who are fleeing persecution, war or disasters.

As a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, Ireland cannot return international protection applicants to countries where their life and freedom are at serious risk.
As of May 2024, just 204 people with deportation orders lived in IPAS centres.
Those under deportation orders don't receive social welfare, work, housing, or access homeless services.

For a comprehensive understanding of Ireland's international protection system, read our Frequently Asked Questions below.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS