President Catherine Connolly has signed the International Protection Bill.
The President signed this bill, following a meeting of the Council of State, which was chaired by herself to discuss the constitutionality of the legislation. It will not be referred to the Supreme Court.
The Bill which is tied to the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, will come into effect across the EU in June, which was signed the Government signed up to in 2024.
Among its members include former presidents Mary Robinson, Mary McAleese and Michael D Higgins, as well as former taoisigh Enda Kenny and Leo Varadkar, who all attended this meeting, alongside Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris.
This also marked the first meeting of the Council of State of Catherine Connolly's presidency. This was invoked four times during Michael D Higgins' tenure.
In a statement, which was issued by Áras ab Uachtarán, it was revealed that President Connolly had followed the passage of this bill through both Houses of the Oireachtas. She also considered the views and issues raised during the debate.
"The concerns that led to the President calling a meeting of the Council of State remain", the statement read. "However, when considering any particular piece of legislation, the President must be cognisant of Article 34.3 of Bunreacht na hÉireann, which provides that no court can question the validity of any legislation deemed constitutional following a referral by the President to the Supreme Court.
"In this context, the capacity of a putative litigant to take a case on the basis of facts rather than abstract grounds has to be taken into account".
It also added that President Connolly's decision to sign in this legislation "does not close off any actions sought by any person to challenge the provisions of the bill in the future".
Elsewhere, Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan who called this bill, the most significant reform of asylum laws in the State's history, welcomed the President's decision to sign the International Protection Bill into law.
"This is the most significant reform of asylum law in the history of the State," he said. "We need to ensure that, together with our EU partners, our laws are fit for purpose, efficient and sustainable".
"The new rules will take effect from 12 June 2026".
