O’Flynn: Government “flying blind” into June 2026 with no plan for international protection backlog
O’Flynn: Government “flying blind” into June 2026 with no plan for international protection backlog
Independent Ireland TD for Cork North Central, Ken O’Flynn, has sharply criticised the Minister for Justice for what he described as a “complete absence of planning” ahead of the EU’s June 2026 deadlines for processing international protection applications.
Deputy O’Flynn said the Minister’s written reply to his parliamentary questions “sidestepped every operational issue” and failed to provide even the most basic information required to assess whether the State is prepared.
“The Minister listed general procedures, theoretical timelines and upcoming EU obligations,” O’Flynn said. “Not one of those points answers the key questions: What is the size of the backlog today? How fast has it grown? And how does the Government propose to clear it by June 2026?”
He said there is no plan for dealing with the outstanding appeals, no estimate of the additional staffing or resources needed to comply with the new EU rules, and no modelling whatsoever of the pressure being placed on emergency accommodation in Cork.
“Cork is being left in the dark,” he said. “Emergency accommodation here is already under sustained pressure. Families see it every week. Instead of dealing in realities, the Minister is giving process descriptions rather than facts. The public deserve honesty, not obfuscation.”
Deputy O’Flynn said the State cannot meet its EU obligations “by hoping for the best” and warned that Cork would bear the consequences of Dublin’s lack of preparation.
“We need real figures. We need realistic timelines. And we need a plan that protects communities in Cork North Central and across the city,” he said.
O’Flynn confirmed that he has now filed follow-up questions seeking:
The current backlog at both first-instance and appeals stages
Monthly clearance targets up to June 2026
Projected staffing and resource needs arising from the EU rules
Specific accommodation capacity forecasts for Cork
“The reply I received contained none of this information,” he said. “That is not good enough. The Government must get a grip on this situation and present a credible, transparent plan — because right now, they have none.”
