S.I. No. 254/2026 - International Protection Act 2026 (Safe Third Country) Order 2026


Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 16th June, 2026.

I, JIM O’CALLAGHAN, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by subsection (1) of section 280 of the International Protection Act 2026 (No. 9 of 2026) in accordance with Section V of Chapter III of Regulation (EU) 2024/1348 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 establishing a common procedure for international protection in the Union and repealing Directive 2013/32/EU1 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2026/463 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 February 2026 amending Regulation (EU) 2024/1348 as regards the application of the concept of safe third country2 and being satisfied, in accordance with the said section and in relation to the country specified in Article 3 of the following Order, as to the matters specified in subsection (3) of the said section, hereby order as follows:

1. (1) This Order may be cited as the International Protection Act 2026 (Safe Third Country) Order 2026.

(2) This Order comes into operation on 12th June 2026.

2. In this Order, “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” includes the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

3. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is designated as a safe third country for the purposes of the International Protection Act 2026 (No. 9 of 2026).

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GIVEN under my Official Seal,

11 June, 2026.

JIM O’CALLAGHAN,

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

This Order designates the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (including for this purpose the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) as a safe third country for the purposes of the International Protection Act 2026.

1 OJ L, 2024/1348, 22.5.2024

2 OJ L, 2026/463, 26.2.2026