The government has extended a temporary moratorium on visa-free travel for refugees to Europe, reports Breaking News.
The Council of Europe’s visa waiver agreement for refugees will be reviewed within 12 months.
The moratorium, which effectively means that recognized refugees need visas to travel to Ireland with Convention travel documents instead of visa-free travel, was originally introduced in July 2022.
The decision to introduce a visa requirement for recognized refugees was taken “in light of evidence of people applying for asylum in Ireland who had already received refugee status in another European country”, reports Breaking News.
Last year, the government agreed to review the moratorium within 12 months.
The visa waiver regime for people fleeing the war in Ukraine remains intact.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Micheál Martin said: “This decision has been taken by Government in the context of unprecedented pressures on our international protection system. “It is not a decision taken lightly but it is the right one for Ireland at this time to ensure the integrity of our immigration system, to avoid any undue pressure on systems that are already under strain and to make sure that those who need protection in Ireland can get it and get it quickly,” reports Breaking News.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said:“This is a carefully considered decision that we believe is necessary to protect the integrity of Ireland’s immigration system in the context of continued pressures on our international protection and accommodation systems. The visa waiver I introduced for people fleeing to Ireland from Ukraine remains unaffected. Ireland’s commitment to protecting and assisting those in need remains steadfast. We are committed to upholding our international and EU obligations towards international protection applicants and refugees,” reports Breaking News.
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