The EU Migration and Asylum Pact represents the most significant reform of the Common European Asylum System in over a decade. It introduces a new legal framework governing screening, border procedures, responsibility allocation between Member States, detention, return, and monitoring mechanisms.
Ireland has opted into seven Pact instruments. The International Protection Bill 2026 is the primary vehicle for implementing these measures in domestic law.
These changes affect how people are screened at the border, how their asylum applications are processed, how responsibility for claims is determined between Member States, and how detention and return procedures operate.
Our work focuses on ensuring that Ireland’s implementation complies with constitutional standards, EU law, and international human rights obligations.
Our Work
Our work focuses on ensuring that Ireland’s implementation of the Pact adheres to human rights standards, fundamental rights under the EU Charter, and protections under Irish law. We analyse draft legislation, identify areas of concern, and propose clear legislative amendments where safeguards are weak or absent. Nasc presented as an expert witness before the Joint Oireachtas Justice Committee in 2024 and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in 2025 and are part of the EU Migration Pact Coalition – a network of 18 civil society organisations working together on the Pact.
We have highlighted a number of serious issues in the International Protection Bill 2026, including:
- Provisions that could criminalise people for assisting those going through the screening process.
- Broad powers of detention at an early and vulnerable stage of the asylum process.
- The risk of children being detained.
- Weak vulnerability assessment mechanisms that do not provide meaningful protection for people with specific needs.
- Gaps in access to early legal advice during critical procedural stages.
- Restrictive family reunification provisions.
We propose specific legal amendments to strengthen safeguards, protect children and vulnerable people, and ensure that Ireland’s implementation of the Pact is fair, proportionate, and rights-compliant.
We believe that reform is essential to uphold the rights of people seeking international protection in Ireland and to ensure our laws reflect Ireland’s constitutional and international human rights obligations.
Take action
You can support rights-centred implementation of the Pact by engaging with your elected representatives and sharing information with your networks.
