Ministers in Ireland are in talks to discuss ending visa-free travel for South Africans in an effort to clamp down on asylum applications.
The Irish Times reported that the Irish cabinet would likely have discussed the matter on Thursday, May 2. But a decision had not been made public when this issue was published.
The Irish government is aiming to crack down on an increase in asylum seekers from Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of the Congo who are allegedly using South African passports to enter the country – “a relatively new phenomenon,” according to Simon Harris, Irish Prime Minister.
The Irish Department of Justice said it was currently processing 198 asylum applications for people who arrived on South African passports. This number makes up 3% of total applications. Harris said this was part of a larger plan to curb the influx of asylum applicants in Ireland.
Ireland is one of the only European countries where South Africans can travel to without a visa. Under current regulations, South Africans can visit Ireland for up to 90 days without the need for a visa.
