A new EU-wide list of "safe countries" has been agreed by MEPs which will make it significantly more difficult for people from those countries to successfully seek asylum from in Europe.
The new list will mean anyone seeking asylum from the named countries will have their application significantly accelerated and decided on within weeks - with a rejection likely except in a small number of exceptional circumstances.
The seven nation list of Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, Morocco and Tunisia is in addition to countries already in the process of formally seeking EU membership.
It was passed at the European Parliament in Strasbourg by 408 votes to 184, with 60 MEPs abstaining.
Among Ireland's 14 MEPs, three Fine Gael MEPs - Regina Doherty, Nina Carberry and Seán Kelly - voted in favour of the safe countries proposal.
Five more Irish MEPs - Sinn Féin's Lynn Boylan and Kathleen Funchion, Independent Luke Ming Flanagan, Labour's Aodhán Ó Riordáin and Fine Gael's Maria Walsh - voted against the plan.
Fianna Fáil's four MEPs - Billy Kelleher, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, Barry Andrews and Barry Cowen - all abstained, as did Independent MEP Ciaran Mullooly.
Fellow Independent MEP Michael McNamara was not in attendance as he is in Bangladesh as part of an EU delegation to south Asia.
A number of the countries on the list are already considered to be safe countries by Ireland's asylum seeker system.
However, the concept of a safe countries list - which would tighten EU-wide asylum seeker rules - has been a growing debate in the European Parliament in recent months due in part to the significant and, in some cases, extreme left-right division of MEPs elected to the institution across the EU.
Meanwhile, the European Parliament has also voted to create a "third parties" country system, whereby any nation external to the bloc where an EU immigration hub could in future be put in place, would also be considered a "safe country" except under specific individual personal circumstances.
This separate vote was passed by 396 votes to 226 against, with 30 MEPs abstaining.
In this separate second vote, Irish MEPs Ms Doherty, Ms Carberry and Mr Kelly voted in favour.
The Irish MEPs who voted against were Ms Walsh, Mr Kelleher, Ms Ní Mhurchí, Mr Cowen and Mr Andrews, Mr Ó Riordáin, Ms Boylan, Ms Funchion and Mr Flanagan.
Mr Mullooly abstained.
