Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Nov 1999

Vol. 511 No. 3

Written Answers. - Asylum Applications.

Ivor Callely

Question:

329 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of asylum applications fully processed from 1992 to 1999 inclusive; the percentage of cases approved and recognised as refugees; the percentage of cases refused; the percentage of applications withdrawn before decision; and the percentage of cases appealed [24042/99]

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

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement.

Asylum Seekers 1992-1999

	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999(31-10)	Total
No. of applications	39	91	362	424	1,179	3,883	4,626	5,497	16,101
No. of applications withdrawn before decision	3	52	222	220	550	1,360	789	210	3,406
No. of withdrawn applications re-submitted to the Asylum Process	0	0	0	0	11	53	31	6	101
No. of applications transferred out under Dublin Convention	0	0	0	0	0	15	15	0	30
Applications less withdrawls and transfers out	36	39	140	204	640	2,561	3,853	5,293	12,766

Decisions taken – 1st Instance

No. recognised as refugees	7	9	34	90	171	119	77	7	514
No. refused	29	30	106	114	439	1,512	1,758	156	4,144
No. deemed abanonded					28	667	781	65	1,541
No. of first instance applications outstanding	0	0	0	0	2	263	1,237	5,065	6,567

Decisions taken – Appeal Stage

Total refusals appealed	6	21	21	74	364	1,277	1,097	77	2,937
No. of applications withdrawn before appeal	2	3	6	9	23	87	88	3	221
Total No. of appeals less withdrawals	4	18	15	65	341	1,190	1,009	74	2,716
No. granted refugee status following appeal	1	1	1	11	87	173	78		352
No. refused refugee status following appeal	3	17	14	54	217	314	144		763
No. returned to first stage					3	5	4		12
No. of appeal cases outstanding	0	0	0	0	34	698	783	74	1,589

Asylum Seekers 1992-1999

	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999(31-10)	Total
No. of applications= 100%	39	91	362	424	1,179	3,883	4,626	5,497	16,101
No. of applications withdrawn before decision	8%	57%	61.3%	52%	46%	35%	17%	4%	21%
No. of withdrawn applications re-submitted to the Asylum Process					1%	1.3%	1%	0.1%	0.6%
No. of applications transferred out under Dublin Convention						0.4%	0.3%		0.2%
Applications less withdrawals and transfers out	36	39	140	204	640	2,561	3,853	5,293	12,766

Decisions taken – 1st Instance

No. recognised as refugees	19%	23%	24%	44%	26.7%	5%	2%	0.1%	4%
No. refused	81%	77%	76%	56%	69%	59%	46%	3%	32.5%
No. deemed abandoned					4%	26%	20%	1.2%	12%
No. of first instance applications outstanding	0	0	0	0	0.3%	10%	32%	95.7%	51.5%

Decisions taken – Appeal Stage

Total refusals appealed (as a percentage of refusals)	21%	70%	20%	65%	82%	84%	62%	49%	71%
No. of applications withdrawn before appeal	33.3%	14%	29%	12%	6%	7%	8%	4%	7.5%
Total No. of appeals less withdrawals	4	18	15	65	341	1,190	1,009	74	2,716
No. granted refugee status following appeal	25%	6%	7%	17%	26%	15%	8%		13%
No. refused refugee status following appeal	75%	94%	93%	83%	63%	26%	14%		28%
No. returned to first stage					1%	0.4%	0.4%		0.5%
No. of appeal cases outstanding	0	0	0	0	10%	58.6%	77.6%	100%	58.5%

1.It should be noted that all above figures relating to decisions, withdrawals, appeals etc., refer to the year in which the application was lodged and NOT to the year in which the decision, withdrawal, appeal, etc., was made.

2.Percentages in relation to decisions and cases outstanding are precentages of applications less withdrawals and transfers out.

3.The procedures for deeming cases abandoned was introduced on 10 December 1997 following notification of revised procedures to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and applied to all new and outstanding applications on hand on that date.