Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 March 2015
373. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 307 of 10 March 2015, the places that the majority of applicants seeking refugee status or asylum are originating from; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12704/15]
View answerI am advised by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, the independent body with responsibility for the processing of applications for refugee status, that applications originated from 67 countries in 2014. The top ten countries of origin were Pakistan, Nigeria, Albania, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Algeria, DR Congo, Malawi, South Africa and Ukraine. These countries accounted for almost 71% of all applications received.
In the first two months of 2015 applications for refugee status originated from 37 countries. The top ten countries of origin in respect of these applications were Pakistan, Nigeria, Albania, Bangladesh, DR Congo, Malawi, Afghanistan, South Africa, Ukraine and Zimbabwe. These countries accounted for almost 80% of all applications received over this period.
