Ireland’s commitment to a fair immigration system took centre stage in Madrid on 12 November when Minister of State Niall Collins addressed the OECD Global Roundtable on Equal Access to Justice. Leading a 40-country delegation, Collins outlined recent Irish reforms—including the digitalisation of immigration permission renewals and the planned replacement of the Direct Provision system—and called for “people-centred justice that travels with the migrant”.
The minister argued that timely legal assistance is a core pillar of successful integration, noting that asylum applicants in Ireland now receive free legal aid at first instance and during appeals. He urged OECD members to share best practice on resolving immigration cases within six months, a benchmark Ireland hopes to reach by 2027 through process automation and additional adjudicators.
![Irish minister spotlights migrant access to justice at OECD Madrid summit]()
Observers say Collins’ speech positions Ireland as a progressive voice at a time when several EU states are tightening border regimes. By linking justice reform to economic competitiveness—"multinationals choose jurisdictions where workers and their families feel legally secure," he said—the minister appealed directly to global investors.
For HR and mobility teams, the takeaway is that legal-process certainty remains a policy priority even as Ireland looks to curb accommodation costs. Companies should still expect greater procedural transparency and online case-tracking tools over the next two years.
The minister argued that timely legal assistance is a core pillar of successful integration, noting that asylum applicants in Ireland now receive free legal aid at first instance and during appeals. He urged OECD members to share best practice on resolving immigration cases within six months, a benchmark Ireland hopes to reach by 2027 through process automation and additional adjudicators.
Observers say Collins’ speech positions Ireland as a progressive voice at a time when several EU states are tightening border regimes. By linking justice reform to economic competitiveness—"multinationals choose jurisdictions where workers and their families feel legally secure," he said—the minister appealed directly to global investors.
For HR and mobility teams, the takeaway is that legal-process certainty remains a policy priority even as Ireland looks to curb accommodation costs. Companies should still expect greater procedural transparency and online case-tracking tools over the next two years.
