Immigrant Council welcomes Ombudsman’s call to end exclusion of immigration from oversight
- Ombudsman Ger Deering calls for remit to be extended to immigration administration.
- Severe delays of over 17 weeks for Irish Residence Permit (IRP) renewals leave workers facing job loss, travel disruption, and housing uncertainty.
- ICI urges Government to ensure basic accountability.
The Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) strongly welcomes calls by Ombudsman Ger Deering for his remit to be extended to cover complaints regarding the administration of immigration and naturalisation services.
Speaking before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen, Mr Deering said that migrants are currently denied access to independent administrative oversight when facing persistent communication breakdowns and administrative delays with immigration authorities.
Welcoming the statement, Teresa Buczkowska, CEO of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, said:
“The Ombudsman has shone a light on an indefensible gap in Ireland’s public administration. Right now, thousands of people who live, work, and contribute hugely to our communities and public services have nowhere to turn when the administrative system fails them.
“Over recent months, processing times for Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card renewals stretched beyond 17 weeks. These are not mere bureaucratic inconveniences, they have an acute human cost. Our helpline regularly hears from essential healthcare staff, social care workers, and professionals who fear job loss, or losing out on rental accommodation simply because their renewed documentation is stuck in a processing bottleneck. Families have been left stranded at airport gates or forced to cancel long-planned visits to sick relatives abroad.
“When communication goes unanswered and livelihoods are placed in jeopardy, people need independent recourse. We strongly urge the Government to act on his recommendation without delay and bring immigration administration under independent oversight.”
ENDS
Media Contact:
Ian Carey
Communications Manager
Immigrant Council of Ireland
communications@immigrantcouncil.ie
+353 (0)86 307 4004
Notes to the Editor:
- About the Ombudsman:
The Office of the Ombudsman is an independent and impartial body established under the Ombudsman Act 1980. It examines complaints from members of the public who believe they have been unfairly treated by certain public service providers, including government departments, local authorities and the HSE. However, under the Act, as amended, actions taken by the Department of Justice in the administration of the law relating to immigration or naturalisation are specifically excluded from the Ombudsman’s remit. - Ombudsman's Statement:
Ombudsman Ger Deering addressed the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen on 22 September 2026, noting that extending the remit to immigration would require only minimal statutory reform. - About the Immigrant Council of Ireland:
The Immigrant Council of Ireland is a human rights organisation and Independent Law Centre that supports migrants and their families through frontline helpline services, legal advice, integration initiatives, and policy advocacy.