Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 20 Oct 1998

Vol. 495 No. 4

Written Answers. - Asylum Applications.

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

319 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of applications for asylum received by his Department for each month in 1998; the number of applications processed during this time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20297/98]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the tabular statements below.

With regard to applications processed, I have previously indicated to the House that the processing of applications by the Asylum Task Force began in earnest on 5 May 1998. In the current year, 3,784 applications were received up to end September, 2036 interviews scheduled, 1,235 interviews conducted, and 848 decisions notified to applicants. Furthermore, 112 appeal hearings have been conducted this year to date. It is intended that my three newly appointed appeals authorities will each conduct appeal hearings on three days a week with effect from January 1999.

TABLE 1

Monthly breakdown 1998
	Jan	Feb	March	April	May	June	July	Aug	Sept
No. of Applications	321	425	632	407	390	440	449	407	313

TABLE 2

PROCESSING OF ASYLUM APPLICATIONS
POSITION FROM MAY 1998 — 30 SEPTEMBER 1998
Details	May	June	July	August	September
Total interviews scheduled	336	471	396	417	416
(Number including children)	(414)	(569)	(485)	(478)	(503)
Total interviews held	189	283	241	266	256
(Number including children)	(236)	(364)	(302)	(307)	(305)
Total first stage no-shows	147	188	155	151	160
(Number including children)	(178)	(205)	(183)	(171)	(198)
**Total first stage no-shows who attended for rescheduled interview	Nil	18	25	26	30
Total first stage no-shows referred to DSCFA and EHB for investigation	147	188	155	151	160
Total returns from DSCFA and EHB	Nil	111	93	50	67
**Total applicants who did not attend for first or second interview — cases to be deemed abandoned	dNil	54	196	78	124
Decisions made during the month	55	155	167	220	191
Total — Granted	(11)	(11)	(16)	(25)	(3)
Refused	(44)	(144)	(151)	(195)	(188)

[** following investigations with DSCFA and EHB]

[Numbers including children = children are not interviewed but are recorded as applicants in their own right].

TABLE 3

Asylum Seekers 1992-1998 (Appeal Stage)
	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998(30/9)
No. of cases appealed	6	21	21	68	205	181	137
No. of Man/unfounded				1	4	16	4
Totally appealed	6	21	21	69	209	197	141
No. of cases withdrawn before appeal	2	3	6	7	9	4	5
No. of cases granted refugee status following appeal —	1	1	1	4	8	0	0
No. returned to first stage determination process					3	2
No. of cases refused following appeal—	3	16	14	42	80	0	0
No. of cases upheld as manifestly unfounded				(1)	(1)	(5)
of which — granted temporary leave to remain following appeal	(2)	(11)	(1)	(1)	(1)	(0)	(0)
No. of appeal cases outstanding —	0	1	0	15	108	186	136
of which manifestly unfounded				(1)	(4)	(16)	(4)
Total No. of cases on hands	0	1	0	17	285	2,507	3,442