Marian Harkin
Question:1379. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Justice the plans that are in place to address the delays in the international protection process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40240/21]
View answerTuesday, 27 July 2021
Questions (1379)
Written answers
My Department is committed to implementing the key recommendations in the Expert Advisory Group Report to reduce processing times of both first instance decisions and appeals to 6 months respectively, as outlined in the White Paper to End Direct Provision and Establish a New International Protection Support Service.
A Programme Board has been established in my Department to oversee the implementation of the relevant recommendations and is supported by an Implementation Working Group. My Department will also be represented on a Programme Board being established by my colleague, Minister O'Gorman, which will set performance indicators for the new model and monitor progress against those indicators.
The White Paper proposes that the new system should be phased in and operational by 2024 and that the intervening period should provide an opportunity to progress improvements in the overall processing times for international protection.
Work is under way in my Department towards identifying mechanisms which will assist with this. For example, additional ICT resources have been secured for this year, and detailed practical work, including the end-to-end review of relevant international protection processes by a multi-disciplinary team from within my Department, has now been completed. A detailed set of actions on foot of the review is being devised for consideration by the Programme Board, which is expected to report to me shortly on progress.
My Department's main focus now is to get its processing system functioning as effectively and efficiently as possible, while adhering to all measures in place to combat the spread of COVID-19.
A number of initiatives have already been introduced, including the relocation of the Ministerial Decisions Unit to the IPO premises to improve work processes; the designation of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal as a body authorised to hold remote hearings; and the holding of virtual interviews with some applicants living outside of Dublin by the IPO, which resumed on 10 May.
The IPO has also put in place a range of measures to improve efficiencies across a number of work streams, such as improved processes, implementation of non-cooperation measures, and initiatives to speed up the return of completed questionnaires from applicants. A new, shorter and more user-friendly questionnaire is being used since 28 June and the IPO has also agreed a new prioritisation schedule with UNHCR that is effective from 14 June.