No timeframe for when pause on Syrian asylum applications will be lifted
Ireland is one of a number of European countries to have suspended the processing of applications. Picture: Hassan Ammar/AP Photo
The pause on decisions on asylum applications from Syrians is not long-term but the justice minister cannot give a timeframe for when it could be lifted.
The call to pause the decision element of the international protection process for those from Syria was made following the fall of the Assad regime in recent days.
"It is for the reason that any decision can only be made based on the current situation in that country of origin and at the moment, obviously that is uncertain," Ms McEntee said.
Ireland will be keeping a close eye to see how the situation evolves in the week ahead and will return to the decision and "hopefully be able to move past this".
The pause on decisions affects less than 400 people, according to Ms McEntee.
As it is still early days in terms of seeing what the future for Syria might look like, Ms McEntee said a definitive timeline for when Syrians will get clarity on how Ireland's asylum application process will proceed cannot be made at this time.
"I would hope that in the coming weeks we would be able to reassess this and make a more definitive decision," she said.
Ms McEntee said she is not currently proposing to send people back to Syria.
The minister is currently in Brussels to attend the Justice and Home Affairs Council and intends to speak with her European counterparts in relation to the evolving situation in Syria.
"It's important that we do work together on that and we work, where possible, in step on this issue," Ms McEntee said.
Ireland is one of a number of European countries to have suspended the processing of applications.
Irish Refugee Council chief executive Nick Henderson encouraged Ireland to contribute "positively and progressively" to the EU policy debate on the issue, including reconstruction in Syria.
