The Government is considering whether to charter flights in order to remove those who have failed in their asylum applications.
The Office of Government Procurement has posted a tender on the eTenders website seeking information on the potential availability of such services.
It is not yet at the stage of issuing a tender.
Charter flights have been used in the past to deport failed asylum applicants, but have not been used in recent years.
It comes as Algeria and Botswana are to be added to Ireland's list of "safe countries", under a plan brought to the Cabinet by the Minister for Justice.
It means that applicants for International Protection from those two nations will have their cases decided within a maximum of 90 days.
Speaking in the Dáil, Minister McEntee said she will "never apologise" for doing all she can to provide "justice, solace and safety for those who are fleeing persecution".
"We need to send a very strong message to those who wish to use a challenging situation to sow division and to create fear among communities," she said.
During statements on providing services for those seeking protection, the minister said that the protection system is not for economic migrants, which is why she has designated two further countries as being safe.
Minister McEntee said that she will soon be recommending to Cabinet that Ireland joins the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.
This "is a big decision," she added, but migration is "one of the biggest issues in the fast-moving world of the 21st century".
The Minister also intends to fast-track decisions on applicants who already have refugee status in another European state.
Speaking on her way into the Cabinet meeting, she said: "This is not Ireland saying 'we are full' this is the Government saying we want to have the most efficient and effective international protection system as possible".
She said four out of ten people who apply are granted protection and that this is a message to the six others who are potentially coming for economic reasons, saying "you will be turned around".
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Safe country list
A safe country is a place where, generally, there is no persecution, torture, inhumane treatment or conflict.
Ireland already has eight countries on its safe list, which was created in November 2022.
The Department of Integration says the State is currently accommodating 3,110 people from Algeria and 709 people from Botswana.
Applications for asylum from those countries decreased by 38% within a year of this accelerated processing being introduced.
Minister McEntee believes this will lead to further decreases in efforts to use Ireland's asylum system as a backdoor to economic migration.
Under her plan, applicants who already have refugee status in another European state will also be entered into a fast-track inadmissibility procedure.
However, Irish Refugee Council CEO Nick Henderson has expressed concern at the move.
He said the minister has to establish a very high threshold to designate a country safe.
"The country has to have no persecution and we don't think that can be established in the countries we see," he said.
Speaking in the Dáil today, Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan noted that Ms McEntee moved today to accelerate the process of determining who is eligible to remain and in turn "manage the flow".
He was speaking during a debate on the coordination of services for those seeking international protection.
As a small country which has favoured multi-lateral deal-making, adherence to international law has always been "fundamental" to Ireland, he said,
The "incredible" and "dramatic change" of recent years has seen 8,300 beds in international protection provided two years ago rising to 26,000 today.
However, Ireland is "very close" to the EU average in terms of asylum seekers as a proportion of the population.
"So we're not alone in managing this huge crisis," he said.
Humanitarian fund after storms Babet and Ciaran to be doubled
The Government is to double the humanitarian fund created to assist businesses and organisations affected by storms Babet and Ciaran late last year.
The Cabinet originally approved €5.3m euro for the scheme, but a memo to be brought by Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney this morning would see that rise to €11 million.
The storms badly damaged businesses in Cork, Louth and Galway in particular.
It is understood that the increase in the size of the fund relates to more businesses, voluntary organisations and sports clubs being affected by the storms than was originally estimated, rather than individual payments being increased.
Import requirements
The Cabinet will consider new UK import requirements which will come into force from tomorrow and apply to Irish exports entering Great Britain.
The measures represent a further outworking of Brexit and the consequences of the UK no longer being in the EU Customs Union and Single Market.
All Irish exporters and their supply partners must adapt their current business model to meet these new UK requirements.
The detail is contained in a joint memo from Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue and the Tánaiste.
Minister McConalogue will also provide an update on the National Dialogue on Women in Agriculture, with a report and 12-point action plan being released tomorrow.
The Programme for Government and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine recognise the need to do more on gender equality.
The new Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) also places particular focus on promoting the participation of women in the socio-economic development of rural areas, with special attention to farming.
Education
The Cabinet will be updated on the gaps in core funding in higher education and how the issue can be resolved.
Minister for Further and Higher Simon Harris is expected to confirm how €100m in funding provided in Budget 2024 will deliver an additional 1,000 staff; address the student staff ratio; and support new positions in student support services and core academic positions.
The financial package - €40m last year and €60m this year - will also be open to institutions providing additional healthcare places.
Additional reporting Paul Cunningham
