Fine Gael TD and junior minister for migration Colm Brophy has said that the EU Migration Pact is working.
Since the controversial measure was passed in the European Parliament in June, which passed with the support of far-right parties, the number of applicants to Ireland has dropped from 53 a day to 32.
Speaking at the Fine Gael Think-In in Gorey, Co.Wexford, Minister Brophy said “we are seeing a real reduction in the total number of new applications for international protection since the introduction of the Pact three months ago.”
“In 2025, and from January this year to the 11th of June (start of Pact), we were receiving an average of 53 applications per day. Since the beginning of the Pact on June 12th to date, we have been receiving an average of 32 applications per day.
The figures mark a 39% reduction in the number of people seeking International Protection.
“What we can clearly see is that the Pact has been in operation for three months and is functioning well,” the Dublin South-West TD said.
“We are currently on track to meet the standardised processing times for decisions. That’s six months for a standard procedure, three months for accelerated and border procedures, and two months for inadmissible cases,” he explained.
“Ahead of the Pact’s introduction there was significant planning and preparation put into the implementation, including the development and resourcing of new processes and procedures. This work has stood to us, and we are ready to meet the timelines required under the Pact.”
“Fine Gael wants to see clarity and consistency in our migration system, and the Migration Pact has been key to that,” Brophy said, marking a change in migration policy from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael since their stint in government with the Greens.
Earlier this week, new measures which mean that would-be Irish citizens have to wait 5 years for citizenship instead of 8 were brought before Cabinet.
The Cabinet’s party line states that Ireland should be brought in line with other European nations, who have also pursued more conservative stances on immigration; the 8-year wait for citizenship matches similar laws in Germany.
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties warned, “requiring people to wait 8 years before applying, pass language and civics tests and demonstrate financial self-sufficiency would create significant barriers for people who have already established their lives in Ireland.”
“There are no general language requirements for someone to obtain a work visa or employment permit in Ireland. So, effectively, we are saying that whatever level of English you have is good enough to work, study, pay taxes and participate in Irish society, but it’s not good enough to become a citizen, have the right to vote and have a more stable immigration status. That simply doesn’t make sense,” the organisation said.