Government sets out new migration and asylum policies

Asylum seekers could have to pay up to a thousand euro a month to live in tented accommodation under new rules introduced by the Government.

Speaking to reporters after cabinet on Wednesday, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan outlined a range of new migration and asylum measures which have received Government approval.

One would see those living in international protection accommodation pay a contribution towards their accommodation of up to 39.6% of their income.

The potential payments could range from 15 euro a week for those earning between 97.01 and 150 euro a week, to 238 euro a week for anyone earning more than 600 euro a week.

Mr O’Callaghan said the policy would apply to those living in tented accommodation and those in employment would have to make a contribution regardless of “the quality of accommodation provided” by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS).

When asked if the Government should provide higher standard accommodation if residents are required to pay a substantial proportion of their salaries to live in it, Mr O’Callaghan said: “If you’re earning money through work, you don’t have to live in IPAS accommodation.”

Other measures announced by Mr O’Callaghan, who is also Minister for Migration, include an updated policy for family reunification for people from non-European Economic Countries.

It includes new rules on the type of family members who will be allowed to apply, new income thresholds to bring dependants to Ireland and a requirement for applicants to have “suitable accommodation” for those they are hoping to bring to Ireland.

Mr O’Callaghan said there would be a “very specific provision as to what type of family member” will be allowed under family unification policies.

It will be limited to the sponsor’s spouse or partner, their minor children, dependent parents and dependent adult children with serious medical conditions.

The increased income thresholds now mean a gross income of 30,000 euro a year will be needed to sponsor a spouse or partner and between 44,300 for one child and 124,900 euro a year for eight or more minor children.

There will be new requirements too that applicants will have to establish they have somewhere suitable to accommodate those coming to the country.

Mr O’Callaghan said this “exists throughout the rest of the European Union, but doesn’t apply in Ireland”.

Those who have been granted international protection status will have to show they have sufficient resources to support family members.

There are also changes to the process for applying for citizenship which means anyone applying will have to show five years “reckonable residence”. Previously people who had been granted international protection could apply after three.

International protection applicants must also be self-sufficient and not have received “certain” social protection payments two years before they apply.

Under the proposals the government will also have greater powers to revoke refugee status for those “found to be a danger to the security of the state” or who have been convicted of a serious crime.

The minister said around 87% of international protection applicants were coming from the UK via Northern Ireland, which he said was “too high”.

He also claimed “too many people” are using the asylum process as “a means to come in when, in fact, they should be applying for work visas”.

Mr O’Callaghan said Ireland’s population grew by 1.6% last year, which is seven times the EU average, and said the “rate of increase does require a policy response”.

He said it is a “difficult balancing act” managing the number of people who want to come to Ireland and “the general welfare and public interest of the Irish public”.