President Michael D. Higgins has signed the International Protection Bill 2024 into law. The President decided not to refer the bill to the Supreme Court to test its constitutionality.
The decision followed a meeting of the Council of State, which was convened by the President on Monday, April 21, 2026. The meeting lasted for approximately three hours to discuss the bill's provisions.
The International Protection Bill 2024 is a significant piece of legislation that reforms Ireland's international protection and immigration system. It aims to streamline application processing and includes provisions related to the designation of safe countries of origin.
The bill had completed its passage through both houses of the Oireachtas, receiving final approval from the Seanad in March 2026, before being presented to the President for signature.
