Key facts
- Up to 90% of asylum seekers in Ireland may have entered via the Northern Ireland land border in the last three years.
- In the past year, the UK apprehended over 900 "immigration offenders" abusing the open land border.
- 16,600 people sought asylum at an Irish airport or port, with significant numbers believed to have traveled from Great Britain via Belfast.
- Asylum applications in Ireland surged from around 5,000 pre-2019 to a peak of 18,500 between 2022 and 2024.
- Ireland and the UK are working to revive a post-Brexit returns agreement for asylum seekers.
- Discussions are ongoing between Irish and UK officials regarding border security and CTA management.
Up to 90% of asylum seekers arriving in Ireland may have entered the country via the land border with Northern Ireland over the past three years, according to figures from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
These statistics suggest that the Common Travel Area (CTA) between Ireland and the UK is being exploited by individuals seeking asylum, potentially more so for entry into Ireland than the UK. The UK Home Office reported apprehending over 900 "immigration offenders" in the past year who had abused the open border.
Data from DFAT indicates that 16,600 people sought asylum at an Irish airport or port. A significant portion of this group is believed to have traveled from Great Britain to Ireland via Belfast. The CTA has recently come under intense scrutiny following a knife attack in Belfast by a Sudanese refugee who had claimed asylum in Ireland in 2023 after traveling from Sudan to Paris and then Dublin.
Prior to 2019, Ireland received approximately 5,000 asylum applications annually. This number saw a substantial increase between 2022 and 2024, reaching a peak of 18,500. In recent years, the proportion of asylum seekers applying in person at the International Protection Office in Dublin has been consistently high, at 88% in 2025 and 90% in 2026 to date. In 2024, Ireland's then justice minister publicly stated that 80% of asylum seekers were entering via the land border.
Without physical border checks, precise numbers of illegal crossings are difficult to verify. However, DFAT's assessment, based on staff experience and interview materials, suggests a significant proportion of first-time international protection applicants have entered over the land border. The Irish government has expressed shared concern over the violence in Belfast and is collaborating with the British government on CTA abuses.
Ireland is also preparing to re-operationalize a post-Brexit returns agreement with the UK. This agreement was previously delayed after Ireland's high court ruled that the UK's Rwanda policy meant it was not a "safe country." Arrangements for re-implementing the deal are being made in consultation with the UK, following the UK's redesignation as a safe third country.
Discussions have taken place between Northern Ireland's Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, and Irish ministers, including Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan and Foreign Minister Helen McEntee, focusing on cross-border cooperation to protect the CTA. Northern Ireland's deputy first minister, Emma Little-Pengelly, raised questions about immigration policy and checks across the two islands. Critics have labeled the CTA a "back door to Britain," with some calling for its closure. Professor Katy Hayward noted that border issues have become particularly contentious and dangerous in Northern Ireland post-Brexit. Ireland's Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, acknowledged the CTA's benefits but stressed the need for constant management to prevent abuse.