A briefing note seen by VisaHQ and reported on 23 December 2025 warns that legal challenges filed by rejected asylum applicants are climbing so fast that the Department of Justice may face court-related expenses of up to €15 million next year. Officials at the International Protection Office (IPO) blame the spike on the government’s accelerated processing drive, which has produced a higher volume of negative decisions in recent months.
Under Irish law, individuals refused international protection can seek judicial review in the High Court. Each case can cost the State between €7,000 and €12,000 in legal fees, even when the challenge ultimately fails. The IPO estimates that reviews lodged in 2025 are already 38 per cent higher than last year, and the upward trend shows no sign of slowing.
![Deportation Litigation Surge Could Cost Irish Exchequer €15 Million in 2026]()
For organisations and individuals navigating Ireland’s shifting immigration environment, VisaHQ offers end-to-end visa and document services that simplify travel planning and work-permit compliance. Our Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) gives real-time requirements, application guidance and status tracking, helping HR teams stay ahead of fast-moving policy changes.
From a global mobility perspective, the looming litigation bill underscores the political and fiscal pressures shaping Ireland’s asylum reforms. Companies that depend on Ireland’s open labour market may see a tougher enforcement environment spill over into work-permit processing as resources are re-allocated. Mobility programmes should anticipate possible delays for non-EEA hires in 2026 if court budgets crowd out staffing in immigration service delivery.
Practical advice: Monitor policy statements on new International Protection legislation expected in early 2026. Employers may need to build longer lead times into project staffing plans and update risk assessments for employees whose dependent family members are in the asylum system.
Under Irish law, individuals refused international protection can seek judicial review in the High Court. Each case can cost the State between €7,000 and €12,000 in legal fees, even when the challenge ultimately fails. The IPO estimates that reviews lodged in 2025 are already 38 per cent higher than last year, and the upward trend shows no sign of slowing.
For organisations and individuals navigating Ireland’s shifting immigration environment, VisaHQ offers end-to-end visa and document services that simplify travel planning and work-permit compliance. Our Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) gives real-time requirements, application guidance and status tracking, helping HR teams stay ahead of fast-moving policy changes.
From a global mobility perspective, the looming litigation bill underscores the political and fiscal pressures shaping Ireland’s asylum reforms. Companies that depend on Ireland’s open labour market may see a tougher enforcement environment spill over into work-permit processing as resources are re-allocated. Mobility programmes should anticipate possible delays for non-EEA hires in 2026 if court budgets crowd out staffing in immigration service delivery.
Practical advice: Monitor policy statements on new International Protection legislation expected in early 2026. Employers may need to build longer lead times into project staffing plans and update risk assessments for employees whose dependent family members are in the asylum system.
