Description

The Refugee Act 1996 is Ireland's foundational legislation on refugee protection. It defines refugee status and establishes procedures for applying for asylum. The Act outlines the rights and obligations of refugees, including protection from refoulement, access to legal aid, and the right to appeal decisions. It also creates the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, which processes asylum applications, and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal, which handles appeals. Amendments have since updated some of these processes.