Ireland's president convenes advisory body to discuss constitutionality of new asylum laws

By Sophie Finn, 17 April 2026
Flag of Ireland (photo credit: jorono via pixabay)
Flag of Ireland (photo credit: jorono via pixabay)
President Catherine Connolly has convened a meeting of the Council of State to discuss the constitutionality of the International Protection Bill 2026. The Bill, which was passed through the Houses of the Oireachtas by government last night, will reform Irish asylum laws and aims to implement the new EU Migration and Asylum Pact. However, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) cautioned that the Bill contains “significant human rights concerns”. [ . . . ] Article 26 gives the president the power, after consulting the Council of State, to refer specific Bills passed by the Oireachtas to the Supreme Court to test their constitutionality before signing them into law.
Read the full article here: The Journal