Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 November 2020
193. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the procedure available to a person (details supplied) to facilitate an appeal against the decision refusing their application for asylum under the international protection programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34484/20]
View answerIn order to maintain full confidentiality, it is not my Department's practice to comment on whether an application for international protection has been made in the State or to comment on recommendations made in respect of any application.
The staff of the Chief International Protection Officer and International Protection Officers are independent by law in the exercise of their international protection functions. They are also bound by confidentiality provisions in respect of applicants as set out in the 2015 Act. They will only communicate with the applicant or their legal representative in the processing of their application. To do otherwise would be to compromise the applicant’s right to confidentiality.
Therefore, when information is required in relation to an application the applicant for international protection status, or their legal representative, should contact either the International Protection Office (IPO) or the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) directly, as appropriate, where advice in relation to their application and the options available and procedures to be followed will be provided.
The International Protection Office may be contacted: by email to info@ipo.gov.ie; by telephone to the IPO Customer Service Centre at 01 6028008 or in writing to Customer Service Centre, International Protection Office, 79-83 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.
The International Protection Appeals Tribunal may be contacted either: by email to info@protectionappeals.ie; by telephone at 01-4748400 (or Lo-Call 1890 201 458), or in writing to Corporate Services Division, The International Protection Appeals Tribunal, 6-7 Hanover Street East, Dublin D02 W320.
