Following consultations with the Attorney General, the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has decided to apply the EU Treaty Protocol on asylum for nationals of Member States of the European Union. The Protocol essentially provides that applications for refugee status from EU nationals shall be inadmissible for processing by another EU Member State except in very exceptional circumstances. These exceptions flow from failure to meet obligations relating to respect for human rights and the rule of law under the European Convention on Human Rights and the EU Treaties.

In practice, the application of the Protocol means that applicants from EU States will not be allowed to enter into the asylum process.

Accordingly, the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner will not accept asylum applications from any EU citizens.

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