Parliamentary questions

338. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the safeguards in the International Protection Bill 2026 to prevent abuse of the asylum system by applicants from safe third countries, including through expanded use of border procedures and remote interviewing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7117/26]

339. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the projected reduction in accommodation demands for international protection applicants as a result of the faster decision-making processes and increased returns outlined in the International Protection Bill 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7118/26]

340. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he intends to expand the list of accelerated processing categories under the International Protection Bill 2026 to include more nationalities with historically low recognition rates, thereby limiting prolonged stays in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7119/26]

341. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the role of the new tribunal for asylum and returns appeals in the International Protection Bill 2026, in upholding strict three-month appeal timelines to prevent delays that could increase applicant numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7120/26]

342. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way In which the extension of the reckonable residence requirement to five years for citizenship applications by those granted international protection under the International Protection Bill 2026 will deter non-genuine claims and support sustainable integration limits; and if he will make a statement on the mat…

343. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way in which his Department ensures that there is consistency in decision making in applications for asylum in Ireland. [7163/26]

344. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the training and education which is provided to those engaged in decisions on international protection and asylum seeking regarding the countries of origin of those seeking protection. [7164/26]

345. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the criteria used to determine whether or not a country is safe for the purposes of decisions on international protection and asylum. [7165/26]

346. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on the establishment of the Fingal West Community Safety Partnership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7223/26]

347. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will consider important issues relating to the Irish Prison Service, raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7231/26]

348. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total expenditure incurred by the State on accommodation and related supports for international protection applicants in each of the years from 2022 to 2025 to date; the projected total expenditure for 2026; and to provide a breakdown of this expenditure under the following headings: payments to private accommod…

349. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total number of international protection applicants accommodated by the State at the end of each quarter from Quarter 1 2023 to Quarter 4 2025; the number currently awaiting an accommodation offer; the average duration of stay in State-provided accommodation during this period; and the measures in place to reduc…

350. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department has carried out any value-for-money assessments, cost-benefit analyses, or benchmarking exercises in respect of contracts entered into with private accommodation providers for international protection applicants since 2022; to detail the findings of any such assessments; and to outline the ste…

351. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to outline the policy rationale, projected fiscal impact, and anticipated savings associated with proposals to require international protection applicants who are in employment to make a contribution towards the cost of their accommodation; the estimated annual savings arising from this measure; the safeguards envis…

352. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department has assessed the impact of the use of private accommodation for international protection applicants on housing supply, rental prices, and availability in the wider housing market; to detail any such assessments undertaken since 2022; and to outline what measures are being pursued to reduce rel…

353. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his attention has been drawn to a report (details supplied) in relation to the welfare of persons in Irish prisons; the actions he will take to address the issues highlighted in the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7248/26]

354. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the actions he will take to engage with the Irish Prison Service in relation to the welfare of persons in Irish prisons, in particular following a report published in relation to self-harm in the prison system (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7249/26]

355. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of and summary of disclosures made to him under Section 41 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [7297/26]

356. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his attention has been drawn to the case of a prisoner (details supplied); the actions he will take to ensure that this person is provided a suitable diet to accommodate their diagnosed medical condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7301/26]

357. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the measures that are in place to facilitate dietary restrictions in prisons on the basis of diagnosed medical conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7302/26]

358. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the measures that are in place to facilitate dietary restrictions in prisons on the basis of religion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7303/26]

359. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his attention has been drawn to concerns related to the inability to provide meals designed for prisoners with diabetes in a prison (details supplied); the actions he will take to engage with the prison services to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7304/26]

360. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of first residence permits issued in each of the years from 2016 to 2024 that were for education; and the number of residence permits for education valid in each of years from 2016 to 2024. [7306/26]

361. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of EU citizens subject to re-entry bans to the State in each of the past ten years; the average duration of the bans imposed in each year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7321/26]

362. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of an organisation (details supplied), in relation to the use of counselling notes as set out in the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025; the actions he will take to address these concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7329…