Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
1319. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice if she has considered the designation status of Georgia as safe for the purposes of international protection considering recent events (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39063/21]
View answerGeorgia is designated a safe country of origin under the International Protection Act 2015 (Safe Country of Origin) Order 2018.
Under Section 72 of the International Protection Act 2015, a country may only be designated as a safe country of origin where satisfied that, on the basis of the legal situation, the application of the law within a democratic system and the general political circumstances, it can be shown that there is generally and consistently no persecution, no torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and no threat by reason of indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict.
In making the assessment, it must be taken into account, among other things, the extent to which protection is provided against persecution or mistreatment by:
- The relevant laws and regulations of the country and the manner in which they are applied.
- The observance of the rights and freedoms laid down in specified European and International Conventions.
- Respect for the principle of non-refoulement in accordance with the Geneva Convention.
- Provision for a system of effective remedies against violation of those rights and freedoms.
The assessment must be based on a range of sources of information, including from other EU Member States, the European Asylum Support Office, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the Council of Europe and other international organisations as appropriate.
My Department draws from the relevant published reports of a range of bodies in this regard, which provide information on the state of play in the country under review. If an applicant for international protection is from a country designated as a safe country of origin, their application will still receive a full consideration on its merits by the International Protection Office of my Department. They are not deemed to be inadmissible merely by coming from one of these countries.
It is not intended, at this time, to review the designated status of Georgia as a safe country of origin. However, my Department will keep the matter under consideration, as appropriate.
