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Irish Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
International protection applicants from Pakistan added to accelerated processing list
Asylum seekers from Pakistan will have their applications fast-tracked under plans introduced on Tuesday. The Department of Justice said applications from Pakistan have grown 'considerably' in recent years. In each of the last two quarters, Pakistani nationals ranked as the second-highest nationality for international protection applications. As of July 24th, 905 people from Pakistan sought international protection in Ireland this year. This compares to 1,391 for the whole of 2024, 624 in 2023, 242 in 2022 and 68 in 2021. Since November 2022, international protection applicants from certain countries receive a decision on their application in about four months. This timeline is expected to further reduce in the coming months, said a department spokesperson. READ MORE Accelerated processing for certain international protection applications previously focused on people from 15 'safe countries of origin': Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Egypt, Georgia, India, Kosovo, Malawi, Morocco, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and South Africa. The process was more recently widened to include countries from where there has been a surge in the numbers seeking asylum, such as Nigeria and Jordan. Commenting on the addition of Pakistan to the accelerated processing list, Mr O'Callaghan said he is 'committed to ensuring that the protection system works for those who genuinely need our help'. One of the ways this is done is by prioritising applications for people from safe countries or countries with a large number of applications, he said. 'This approach allows us to adapt to the changing patterns of international protection and is a critical element of our firm but fair approach.' Mr O'Callaghan said this approach is 'working'. He noted there has been a 43 per cent reduction in application numbers compared to this time last year. A third of asylum seekers entering the State this year have had their applications considered under the fast-track decision-making process, according to figures from earlier this month . Figures shared at a meeting of the Cabinet subcommittee on migration showed 32 per cent of applications are being accelerated.
Irish Times
13-06-2025
- Irish Times
Splendid isolation and stunning sea views in south Kerry for €850,000
Address : Reenearagh, Waterville, Co Kerry Price : €850,000 Agent : O'Callaghan Town & Country Real Estate View this property on Those seeking to live in splendid isolation should find what they are looking for in this house located at the end of a peninsula jutting into the Atlantic in deepest south Kerry with awe-inspiring sea views and incomparable night skies. All of that and more is on offer in this two-bed built in the 1990s in the style of a crannóg, which is now coming to the market for the first time. When the owner's father discovered Hog's Head, the isthmus of land dividing Ballinskelligs Bay and Derrynane Bay, he bought not only the plots for houses that he went on to build, but all the land around it from its sheep-farmer owner. He had seen the devastation overdevelopment had wrought on scenic areas in the US, where he lived, and he was determined the peace of his Kerry retreat would be absolute. Located midway between Waterville and Caherdaniel at the top of the peninsula is the well-known Coomakiste landmark, where a serene statue of the Virgin Mary stands guard over the wonderful view over Derrynane and Deenish and Scarriff islands. Entrance and hall Living and dining area Kitchen Access to the house is on the Waterville side, on the way to Loher stone fort. There are a couple of stony beaches on this side of Hog's Head and its namesake golf course is a 10-minute drive from here. READ MORE The 173sq m (1862sq ft) house, comprising two circular buildings welded together, is at the end of a boreen leading from Loher to here, with incredible uninterrupted views out over the sea and the islands. The Skelligs can be seen from the top of the ridge behind the house, a short climb. Main bedroom Kerry Inside the interiors are quite something, with beams carved from wood sourced from Cahersiveen Cathedral and woodwork fashioned from the outer husks of teak. It is a look that is entirely its own, the rooms are mostly circular, the front door opens on to a lobby above the livingroom. Curved stairs here lead to an open bedroom above with a circular vaulted ceiling that has at its centre, a depiction of the exact constellation that can be seen with startling visibility in the night sky above the house. This part of Kerry is a Dark Sky Reserve and the stars on a clear night have to be seen to be believed. The main living area is a vast circle, bisected by a tall stone fireplace, with a dining area on a raised platform and a kitchen behind it. Skilled master craftsmen employed a wealth of materials here local to the area, including deep-blue Valentia slate on the floor. Thanks to to the beams in the roof and the teak used on the kitchen floor, it's a warm and welcoming space that feels intimate and cosy, even when wild Atlantic gales are raging outside. The Ber is D1. There is another bedroom downstairs and one bathroom, so it might suit a couple or an individual more than a family. It comes with 100 acres of mountain land and there are grazing rights in place with a local farmer, so expect sheep and goats to be constant companions. Winter is the owner's favourite time to be here, he never tires of the ever-shifting dramatic seas below the cliffs that thunder against the nearby islands, home to an important population of Manx shearwater, storm petrel and fulmar birds. It's a unique property in one of the most beautiful parts of Ireland with unforgettable views of the sea and the sky at night. If further isolation is required, the property also comes with an island at the end of Hog's Head. Nearby beaches on the Caherdaniel side are located at Bunavalla harbour, from where Skellig Tours brings visitors to the Skelligs and Derrynane where there is a glorious sweep of interconnected beaches, the famed O'Connell ancestral home and perhaps the even more famous Bridie's pub, nestled beside the harbour. Reenearagh is on the market with O'Callaghan Town & Country Real Estate, seeking €850,000.
