To: President Catherine Connolly
Áras an Uachtaráin
Phoenix Park.
Dublin 8
28th / 04 / 2026
Subject: Why did you sign the International Protection Act 2026 without closing the long-standing carrier liability and document destruction loophole?
Dear President Connolly,
I am writing to you as a concerned Irish citizen and owner of onlinenews.ie regarding your decision to sign the International Protection Act 2026 into law.
The Core Issue remains unresolved: passengers arriving in Ireland continue to destroy or discard their travel documents after boarding, exploiting a well-known loophole that has existed for well over a decade. This has enabled large numbers of false, multiple, and opportunistic asylum claims.
The failure to address this problem has imposed enormous costs on Irish taxpayers, on airlines (through repeated €5,000 carrier liability fines), and on ordinary passengers through higher fares.
On 18 March 2026, the Minister for Justice told the Dáil that Ireland’s migration system had developed “haphazardly” for many years. Despite this admission, and despite numerous amendments to the International Protection Bill, the Government deliberately chose not to close this obvious and long-standing loophole.
A straightforward, practical solution requiring carriers to digitally record (photograph or scan) valid passports at boarding for non-EEA passengers and linking them to the Passenger Name Record (PNR), together with a safe harbour defence for compliant airlines was ignored.
You signed this incomplete and flawed legislation into law following consultation with the Council of State. The majority of the members of the Council of State had themselves, in one capacity or another over the years, been responsible for elements of the very system that has now proven inadequate. At no point were the Irish people given any opportunity to vote on this critically important matter in a referendum.
The process surrounding the International Protection Act 2026 was fundamentally undemocratic and denied citizens any meaningful say on an issue carrying enormous financial and societal consequences.
As a direct result, the State now faces millions of euros in legal fees and court time to challenge aspects of this legislation.
This represents yet another unacceptable squandering of Irish taxpayers’ money.In light of the above, I respectfully ask you, as President and guardian of the Constitution:
· Why did you sign into law a Bill that left such a serious and long-known loophole unaddressed?
· Did the Council of State draw your attention to the continuing failure to introduce a safe harbour defence for carriers who properly verify and record travel documents? If not, why not?
· Do you believe the current carrier liability regime under the Immigration Act 2003 (as amended) is proportionate and just, given that airlines can still be heavily fined even when they have fully checked documents at boarding?
I propose that the Government should now urgently bring forward a targeted amendment to the Immigration Act 2003 to require digital recording of passports at boarding and to provide a full safe harbour defence for compliant carriers. This simple, proportionate measure would significantly reduce document destruction, false claims, and the financial burden on the State.
__________________________________
On a separate issue, I would like to respectfully ask why you have been so dismissive and disrespectful towards our indigenous Irish people in your recent public addresses. My father, along with many members of my family and countless others, fought to secure Ireland’s freedom. I am deeply appalled by your recent remarks. I am not alone in this view many people both in Ireland and around the world have expressed similar concerns.
I would be grateful if you could address these matter.
Yours respectfully,
Sean Treacy
18th May 2026
Sean, a chara,
Thank you for your recent letter outlining your concerns in relation to the International Protection Act 2026.
The President, having given careful consideration to all constitutional and other aspects of the International Protection Bill 2026, and having considered all the options available to her, signed the Bill on 22 April 2026.
The President followed the passage of this Bill through both Houses of the Oireachtas, and listened carefully to the debate and the issues raised.
While noting that important concerns were raised in the discussion on this Bill, the Bill itself did not directly raise a constitutional issue suitable for an Article 26.1.1 referral.
When considering any piece of legislation, the President must also be cognisant of Art. 34.3 of Bunreacht na hÉireann, which provides that no Court can question the validity of any legislation following a referral by the President to the Supreme Court. The President’s decision to sign the Bill leaves it open to any citizen to challenge the provisions of this legislation in the future.
Le gach dea-ghuí,
Odhrán Mac an Aircinn
Rúnaíocht
I thank you for your reply
The point here is that, if the legislative process had been properly observed, it is difficult to see how this Bill could have reached your desk in its current form. In my view, it was rushed through without the level of scrutiny, debate, and public examination that legislation of this significance deserved.
Furthermore, while Minister Jim O’Callaghan may possess considerable legal qualifications, those qualifications do not confer an unlimited mandate to reshape important aspects of legislation at his sole discretion. In a democratic system, major legislative changes should be subject to robust parliamentary scrutiny and public accountability, not driven by the judgment of any one individual, regardless of their professional background.
____________________________________________________________________
In relation to your speeches on immigration and racism in Ireland.
Many people are deeply frustrated by the tendency of public commentators to use isolated incidents to tarnish an entire nation. One event does not define Ireland, nor does it justify branding ordinary Irish people as racist. The collective blame, the double standards, and the lack of accountability for those promoting such narratives must end.
Those making these accusations should be expected to justify and be accountable for their claims with evidence and address the specific individuals or incidents involved, rather than making sweeping allegations against an entire people without proof of any widespread or nationwide racism.
Accountability must apply not only to actions, but also to the public statements and narratives that shape public perception.
This responsibility applies to all public figures, including the President. Those who hold the highest offices in the State have a particular duty to speak with fairness, accuracy, and balance, and to avoid making statements that unfairly stigmatise or condemn the wider Irish people for the actions of a few.
Why do your statements on immigration so often give the impression that native Irish people no longer matter? Many citizens are increasingly asking why the identity, heritage, concerns, and future of the Irish people appear to receive so little consideration from those entrusted with representing the nation.
To many, this is not merely disappointing it is deeply insulting. Irish people are not an inconvenience to be brushed aside in discussions about Ireland’s future. Our families built this country, preserved its culture, defended its independence, and sustained its communities for generations. They are the nation.
Yet many now feel they are being treated as if their concerns are irrelevant, their voice unwelcome, and their place in their own country increasingly taken for granted.
Recent speeches have only reinforced this perception for many citizens. Rather than acknowledging the genuine concerns being expressed by ordinary people, some of the language used has been interpreted as dismissive, one-sided, and lacking sufficient respect for those who are worried about the future of their country.
Whether intended or not, such remarks have left many native Irish people feeling alienated and excluded.
Kindest Regards
Sean Treacy