Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022
1316. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Justice the status of the implementation of measures to speed up processing times and to reduce the overall number of applicants in the international protection process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2214/22]
View answerMy Department's overall objective is to have decisions made on applications from people seeking international protection as quickly as possible. This ensures that those who are found to be in need of protection in Ireland can receive it quickly and begin rebuilding their lives here with a sense of safety and security.
However, efforts to improve processing times have been seriously impacted by Covid-19, which has reduced the output of decisions below that projected in advance of the pandemic.
My Department is fully 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.
The White Paper proposes that the new system should be operational by 2024 and that the intervening period should provide an opportunity to progress improvements in the overall processing times for international protection.
An end-to-end review of relevant international protection processes by a multi-disciplinary team from my Department, has now been completed and published. Over the last number of months, my Department has implemented measures to assist in meeting its overall objectives in this regard and improve on efficiencies and case throughput.
One such measure is the careful identification of certain applications that may proceed without the need for an interview. While applicants for international protection are generally interviewed, the legislation allows a trained international protection officer to dispense with the interview if they are of the opinion that, based on the available evidence, the applicant is a person that should be granted a refugee declaration.
Other measures include the restructuring of teams within the International Protection Office (IPO) to allow for more efficient workflow, identification and streamlining of processes and ensuring that staff are directed to the areas where they can add most value.
A case management function has been implemented to have oversight of applications and ensure they are moved through the process without unnecessary delay. Additional staff have also been trained to conduct interviews, which has increased interviewing capacity, and a revised, “plain English” approved, shorter international protection questionnaire is in place since 28 June 2021, and is available in a wide selection of languages. Applicants can also now fill in the questionnaire online and submit it by e-mail to the IPO. The online questionnaire is currently available in English, French and Arabic, with more languages to follow.
Furthermore, as I announced recently, the Government's Regularisation Scheme for Undocumented Migrants will include a parallel process to implement the recommendation included in the Report of the Expert Advisory Group. Applicants who have an outstanding international protection application and have been in the asylum process for a minimum of two years will be invited to apply for consideration under a separate strand of the Scheme.
My Department will, by October 2022 at the latest, commence a review of progress made in reducing and improving processing times. Based on the outcome of that review, we will decide by the end of this year whether additional measures are required in order to ensure that the new system can come into operation without the overhang of any significant number of legacy cases.
