IRELAND TO FAST-TRACK ASYLUM TO 12 WEEKS; 3,877 DEPORTATION ORDERS SIGNED

Ireland’s Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan says a new International Protection Bill will formalize a 12-week target for asylum decisions including appeals, backed by a pilot covering applicants from Georgia, Brazil, and India that produced 300+ decisions within the window. He emphasized consequences for refusals, noting 3,877 deportation orders signed and 1,770 confirmed departures this year via voluntary returns and enforced removals, including charter flights. The government will also pursue accelerated processing for designated safe and high-application countries by mid-2026. Minister Colm Brophy plans a contribution model requiring some residents in protection accommodation who are working to pay toward housing costs.