The tough new measures come amid record numbers of asylum claims and rising tensions over immigration.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan announced the reforms on Wednesday, saying the government needed to respond to the “worryingly” high rate of population growth and a surge in asylum applications.
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“Our population grew by 1.6 percent last year, which is seven times the EU average,” O’Callaghan said. “It is positive that it is increasing, but the rate is a matter of concern.”
The population of Ireland is projected to reach 5.46 million in April 2025.
According to the Finance Ministry, net migration has almost doubled since 2022, to an average of about 72,000 per year, partly driven by work-permit applications, family reunification and the arrival of Ukrainian refugees.
Asylum claims have also increased dramatically. Some 18,651 people sought protection in 2024 – the highest on record – up from 13,276 the previous year.
Tension over the rising number of asylum seekers has led to protests and riots in recent years.
Last month, at least 1,000 anti-immigration protesters clashed with police in south-west Dublin after reports that a child had been sexually assaulted at a hotel complex holding asylum applicants.
hard rules
The new measures, approved by Cabinet on Wednesday, represent one of the most significant changes to Ireland’s migration system in years.
These include requiring asylum seekers who have a job to contribute financially to state housing costs, higher income thresholds for family reunification, and stricter criteria for citizenship applications for refugees.
O’Callaghan said planned asylum seekers would now have to contribute 10 to 40 percent of their weekly income toward housing costs, affecting about 7,500 people.
Family reunification applicants who want to bring relatives from outside the European Economic Area must demonstrate that they earn at least the average national wage, currently more than 44,000 euros ($50,997), and that they have appropriate housing.
Meanwhile, citizenship rules for refugees will become more restrictive. The residency requirement would increase from three to five years, and long-term recipients of some social welfare benefits would be ineligible.
O’Callaghan said the government would also have the power to revoke a person’s asylum status if they are found to be a “threat to the security of the state” or convicted of a serious crime.
“Although these situations are rare, it is important that these powers are provided for in the law,” he said.
He said the government is also considering restrictions on student visas, amid concerns that some education pathways to long-term residence are being abused.
The new rules echo recent sweeping changes to asylum law in the United Kingdom, where growing concern about immigration levels has boosted support for the far-right Reform Party.
Earlier this week, Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin said his government needed to consider the impact the UK reforms would have on migration flows to Ireland.
“What other people do has a negative impact on us, that’s the reality we have to be prepared for,” he said.
According to O’Callaghan, about 90 percent of those who applied for asylum in Ireland came across the border from Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK.
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