Ireland to accept an additional 500 Afghan refugees
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The Government has announced 500 additional places for Afghan refugees to come to Ireland. The new arrivals will be granted full refugee status and will not enter the Direct Provision system.
The scheme will allow current or former Afghan nationals living in Ireland to apply to bring their close family members who are vulnerable in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover, or who have fled to a neighbouring country to join them in Ireland.
There are currently around 1,200 people in the Afghan community in Ireland. The new Afghan admission programme will provide up to 500 additional places for family members of Afghan nationals living in Ireland, in addition to 670 permissions granted to Afghan nationals already this year. More permissions are expected to be announced under existing schemes expected in the weeks and months ahead.
Eligible family members will be granted residence permits that allows them immediate access to work, without the need for an employment permit. The programme, including the detailed eligibility criteria and the application process, will be developed over the coming months, with applications opening in December. An appeals process for unsuccessful applicants will also be established.
Minister of Justice Heather Humphreys said the Government had acted swiftly to ensure support for the Afghan people.
"The Government is very conscious of the plight faced by the Afghan people following the collapse of the former Afghan government and the takeover by the Taliban.
"This has further fueled the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, and human rights abuses, violence, and fear of reprisals has led to a large number of displaced persons seeking assistance, and that's why we have announced the establishment of a new scheme, which demonstrates our support for people in Afghanistan."
Minister for Children and Equality Roderic O'Gorman said his department had been engaging with international NGOs when it became clear that the United States would be leaving Afghanistan.
"150 people have already arrived here in Ireland, but the type of people that are receiving these humanitarian visas are people who are applying - human rights defenders, people who are working supporting women's NGOs, journalists, members of the LGBTI community, and other people who are particularly vulnerable to the Taliban takeover."
Those granted refugee status will have to make their own way out of Afghanistan, however. Minister O'Gorman says the government are engaged with NGOs who are offering support to families to people leaving the country.
"There are intermittent flights from Africa and Qatar, obviously there's land borders as well, so you know we will work with NGOs to try and support as much as we can."