IRELAND CONSIDERS SCRAPPING VISA-FREE TRAVEL FOR SOUTH AFRICANS
The government of Ireland wants to enhance immigration control amid challenges with accommodating asylum seekers, and is looking at scrapping visa-free travel for South Africans.
Discussions among ministers are underway regarding the potential changes to their visa policies, writes SchengenVisaInfo.
According to the Irish Times, concerns have been raised over nationals from Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo using South African passports to enter Ireland.
Visa-free movement on SA passports
Data released by the Irish Department of Justice revealed that 198 people arriving in Ireland on South African passports are currently undergoing processing.
This number constitutes over three percent of the total applicants so far in 2024, it said.
According to Irish politician Simon Harris, the government intends to implement measures that will manage the flow of asylum applicants crossing into Ireland via Northern Ireland.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee further noted that over 80% of international protection applicants entered the country through Northern Ireland.
As such, she emphasised the importance of increased cooperation between Ireland’s Garda and Northern Ireland’s Police Service.
Despite existing measures at airports, additional restrictions to effectively address the situation were needed, she added.
Housing Challenges
More than 5 000 individuals have already applied for asylum this year, and the Irish government is anticipating a surge in arrivals in the coming months.
Irish government is under pressure to accommodate around 1 600 male asylum seekers, and is reaching out to church dioceses for alternative, temporary shelter options.
This mirrors past collaborations with the church, such as providing refuge to individuals fleeing the war in Ukraine.
Authorities are exploring alternative solutions while awaiting an official decision from the government on tightening rules to manage asylum applications.
2024-04-26T12:53:28Z dg43tfdfdgfd
