Appeal dismissed for lack of standing in challenge to safe country of origin designation for South Africa

The Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by two applicants seeking to challenge Ireland's designation of South Africa as a safe country of origin in the context of their international protection applications. The court affirmed the High Court's refusal to quash decisions by both the Minister for Justice and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal, concluding that because the Tribunal's decision on the applicants' claims was made without relying on the safe country designation or special expedited procedures, the applicants lacked standing to challenge the designation itself. The court also ruled that, absent a certified point of law of exceptional public importance from the High Court, it had no jurisdiction to entertain an appeal concerning the Tribunal's determination. The applicants’ arguments regarding future hypothetical prejudice and the applicability of the safe country designation were held too remote to confer standing. The respondents were awarded costs.