The Irish government has decided to end visa-free travel for South African citizens citing allegations of exploitation of the system. According to the media, authorities became concerned about an uptick in individuals arriving from South Africa under the guise of tourism but then seeking asylum or other forms of protection once in Ireland.
This apparent misuse of the visa waiver agreement prompted officials to reconsider the arrangement to ensure it was not being taken advantage of. The new policy aims to maintain the integrity of Ireland’s immigration system while ensuring genuine asylum seekers can still seek protection through the appropriate channels.
The expected move comes less than three years after the need for visas to travel from South Africa was abolished and is the result of warnings from officials that people from Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are traveling on South African passports.
Figures released by the Department of Justice show that authorities are currently processing applications from 198 people who arrived on South African passports this year – just over 3 per cent of the total.
It is expected to be discussed at a meeting of the Cabinet committee on migration and integration next Thursday.
On Wednesday, Taoiseach Simon Harris told a Dáil committee that the Government would “do more” to reduce the number of international protection (IP) – or asylum – seekers crossing the border into Northern Ireland.
The immigration system may tighten due to the increase in applicants for international protection.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee told a Dáil committee on Tuesday that more than 80 per cent of intellectual property applicants came to the state through Northern Ireland.
Harris told the Oireachtas Committee which oversees the Taoiseach, Finance and Public Expenditure departments: “We need to do more in this space. This was not always the way. And, in fact, it is a relatively recent phenomenon.”
Harris said measures introduced at airports had reduced the number of asylum seekers arriving, but that greater cooperation was needed between the Garda and the Police Service of Northern Ireland on this issue.
Previously, Ms McEntee told RTÉ that more than 5,000 people had applied for asylum in Ireland this year, and that half of that number were “secondary movements”, where people come from another “safe” country to apply for asylum in Ireland. .
Elsewhere, the Government has written to church dioceses asking them to make buildings or land available to help house asylum seekers as part of a renewed push to find beds.
In 2022, the Government sought church land to house those fleeing the war in Ukraine, but has now asked dioceses to help house asylum seekers. This comes amid continued pressure to house 1,600 unhoused single men.
‘This is for our city’: Ballina locals protest against plans to house families seeking international protection.
Minister of State Joe O’Brien wrote to dioceses in early March and requested more local authority land or buildings from the County and City Management Association (CCMA).
However, he was told the local authority’s ability to provide additional buildings was “severely limited”.
Mr O’Brien said: “Given the serious situation in terms of the number of people without accommodation – many of whom are forced to sleep on the streets with all the obvious danger that this entails – I believe it is incumbent upon me to do everything It is within my power to try to assist the Trojan efforts of Minister O’Gorman and our officials within the Department of Integration.
More than 20,000 applicants for international protection could apply for asylum in Ireland during 2024
“On that basis, I wrote to both the CCMA and each diocese, asking them to seriously consider their buildings and/or land portfolio with a view to trying to identify anything that might help alleviate the situation, even temporarily while we move. towards the medium-term plan established by Minister O’Gorman.”
SOURCE: IRISH TIMES
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