I propose to take Questions Nos. 392 and 393 together.
My Department is taking all necessary steps to manage the international protection process fairly, efficiently and effectively, as part of the broader Government response, while ensuring the integrity of Ireland's rules-based immigration system is maintained.
The number of international protection applications last year was 13,650, a significant increase on recent years. It represents a 186% increase on the number received in 2019, the most recent year in which application numbers were not impacted by Covid-19.
In July this year, I published a report on the international protection modernisation programme for 2023 and 2024. This programme is implementing measures to improve efficiencies and throughput as well as improving the application, interview and decision-making process for applicants. This will give status to those who are entitled to international protection to rebuild their lives here, while also ensuring faster decision making in respect of those who do not meet the criteria.
Already these reforms are having a significant impact with the median processing time for first-instance decisions reducing from 18 months in 2022 down to 15 months in 2023. The median processing times for appeals is also down from 15 months at the beginning of 2022 to five months in 2023.
As part of this modernisation programme, I also signed a regulation in November 2022 to introduce an accelerated procedure for international protection applicants from designated safe countries of origin. These applicants now typically receive a first instance decision in less than three months, which is a significant reduction from a norm of 22 to 26 months early last year.
Reforms to the international protection process will continue in 2024. Approximately €34m was allocated in budget 2024 to the International Protection Office (IPO) and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) to continue to scale up processing.
Please see below for data in relation to international protection applications made to the IPO since February 2020.
Year Received
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Total
|
2020*
|
|
246
|
177
|
30
|
16
|
41
|
107
|
118
|
173
|
128
|
64
|
160
|
1260
|
2021
|
138
|
91
|
138
|
113
|
132
|
115
|
156
|
262
|
332
|
329
|
387
|
455
|
2648
|
2022
|
391
|
750
|
1032
|
1172
|
1543
|
1605
|
1266
|
1131
|
1060
|
1189
|
1313
|
1198
|
13650
|
2023**
|
1305
|
831
|
858
|
633
|
941
|
901
|
1029
|
1158
|
1249
|
1481
|
1464
|
0
|
11850
|
*February 2020 onwards
** To November 30
Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.
Please see below for data in relation to first instance decisions made by the IPO since February 2020.
Year
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Grand Total
|
2020*
|
|
321
|
218
|
3
|
32
|
65
|
283
|
281
|
231
|
182
|
181
|
141
|
1938
|
2021
|
142
|
160
|
193
|
169
|
198
|
137
|
156
|
149
|
187
|
387
|
331
|
260
|
2469
|
2022
|
388
|
485
|
351
|
468
|
417
|
547
|
492
|
343
|
460
|
365
|
360
|
314
|
4990
|
2023**
|
519
|
604
|
786
|
627
|
737
|
719
|
812
|
792
|
826
|
851
|
1069
|
|
8342
|
*February 2020 onwards
** up to November 30, 2023
Please note, figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.