International Protection Act 2026

• Permanent Page URL

Multi-disciplinary assessment

56. (1) A multi-disciplinary assessment shall include—

(a) a psycho-social assessment,

(b) an assessment of any relevant statements made by the applicant in relation to his or her application, and

(c) one or more than one of the following, as the Determining Authority considers necessary:

(i) with due regard for the applicant’s dignity and right to privacy, a visual assessment based on the applicant’s physical appearance;

(ii) an assessment of any available documentation, which shall be considered genuine unless there is evidence to the contrary;

(iii) an assessment of any relevant statements made by the applicant to a public body and communicated to the Determining Authority;

(iv) an assessment of any relevant information provided by another Member State;

(v) such other assessments as may be prescribed by the Minister under section 63 .

(2) Following a multi-disciplinary assessment carried out in relation to an applicant, the Determining Authority shall—

(a) where the result of the multi-disciplinary assessment undertaken in respect of the applicant is conclusive as to the applicant being a minor, determine, subject to sections 59 , 60 and 62 , that the applicant is a minor for the purposes of this Act,

(b) where the result of the multi-disciplinary assessment undertaken in respect of the applicant is conclusive as to the applicant not being a minor, determine, subject to sections 59 , 60 and 62 , that the applicant is not a minor for the purposes of this Act, or

(c) where the result of the multi-disciplinary assessment undertaken in respect of the applicant is not conclusive, determine, subject to a medical examination to determine age that may be carried out in accordance with section 57 and subject to sections 59 , 60 and 62 , that the applicant is presumed to be a minor for the purposes of this Act.

(3) The Determining Authority shall, as soon as practicable following a multi-disciplinary assessment carried out in relation to an applicant, notify the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s parent, an adult responsible for the applicant, a provisional representative person designated or appointed in respect of the applicant or a representative person appointed in respect of the applicant—

(a) of a determination referred to in subsection (2)(a), (b) or (c), and

(b) of the applicant’s right to request a further age assessment in accordance with section 59 ,

in an age-appropriate manner and in a language that the applicant and, if applicable, the parent or person, understands or is reasonably supposed to understand.

(4) Without prejudice to the power of the Determining Authority to arrange for a further age assessment to be carried out in relation to an applicant under section 60 , subject to the right of an applicant to request a further age assessment under section 59 and subject to the age of the applicant being verified under section 62 , a determination under subsection (2) shall be final.