Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2017
651. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications for asylum that are in the new single procedure application system under the International Protection Act 2015; the number of persons who have been processed within the six-month timeframe target; and the waiting times experienced by persons under the new system. [38333/17]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the International Protection Act 2015 was commenced on 31 December 2016 (commencement date). The 2015 Act introduced a single procedure which enables all grounds for seeking international protection (refugee status and subsidiary protection) or permission to remain in the State for other reasons to be examined and determined in one process. The new single procedure brings the State into line with protection processing arrangements in all other EU States and has replaced the previous multi-layered process with multiple bodies involved. Single procedure case-processing at first instance is now undertaken in the International Protection Office (IPO) of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service and appeals in respect of the protection recommendations of the IPO are processed by the independent International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT).
As of 31 July 2017, there were 4,683 applications awaiting processing in the IPO. The vast majority of these applications were made before the introduction of the International Protection Act 2015 but were not finalised by the former Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) and Refugee Appeals Tribunal (RAT) by the commencement date and hence must be processed by the IPO under the Transitional Provisions of the 2015 Act. Various categories of cases reverted to the IPO including asylum appeals transferred from the old Refugee Appeals Tribunal and asylum and subsidiary protection cases transferred from the old ORAC. This added significantly to the caseload of the new body.
The IPO also has responsibility for processing applications for international protection transferred to the State under the EU Relocation Programme.
In terms of processing, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that considerable progress has been made by the IPO in getting the new single procedure process up and running. This follows IPO staff concentrating in the initial months of the year on the necessary preparatory work including issuing correspondence to all transitional applicants with details of the new processing arrangements, the handling of some 2,600 returned Application for International Protection Questionnaires including the translation of questionnaires (some 50% of which require translation) and the scheduling of interviews etc. Furthermore, extensive training on the new procedures and processing arrangements has been delivered to staff in the IPO and supporting panel members (persons with legal qualifications who support International Protection Officers in their functions).
I am advised that, as at 6 September, 2017, the IPO have finalised some 807 single procedure cases (including relocation cases) and 112 cases under the 2013 Subsidiary Protection Regulations. In addition, to date the IPO have conducted over 1,100 single procedure interviews (including in respect of relocation cases) and 67 interviews under the 2013 Subsidiary Protection Regulations. More than 240 additional interviews have been scheduled in the IPO for the coming weeks.
At the present time it is not possible to calculate an accurate current median processing time for international protection applications due to the different case types on hands which were returned to the IPO under the transition provisions of the 2015 Act. It is estimated, however, that cases in the transition categories (i.e. all cases in the process on commencement date) will be cleared by October 2018 based on current staffing levels. This is expected to be brought forward as additional staff as assigned.
The prioritisation of international protection applications in the context of the scheduling of interviews is provided for in the International Protection Act 2015 subject to the need for fairness and efficiency. I am advised that when the Application for International Protection Questionnaire (IPO 2) and other supporting documentation is returned by applicants, the IPO is scheduling applications for interview primarily on the basis of date of application (oldest cases first). However, certain categories of applicant are also being prioritised such as those from refugee generating countries such as Syria and unaccompanied minors. The IPO’s approach to prioritisation has been agreed with the UNHCR and is available on its website: www.ipo.gov.ie.
The work of the IPO in supporting the international protection process is extensive and varied and includes the taking of applications, fingerprinting applicants, the issue of Temporary Residence Certificates, the processing of cases under the EU Dublin Regulation, the scheduling and undertaking of protection interviews, the organisation of interpretation and translation services, undertaking country of origin research, the preparation of statutory reports on protection and permission to remain and the issue of such reports. The IPO is also represented at appeals hearings before the IPAT.
Considerable additional resources have been allocated to the IPO to assist it in undertaking its statutory functions and reduce waiting times. In January 2017 there were 119 staff in the IPO. Over the period January to September 2017, 42 new staff were assigned to the IPO. The positive impact on waiting times for applicants as a result of the introduction of the single procedure will continue to accrue incrementally over the coming months and will become fully evident once the transition cases have been cleared.
