The overall objective of my Department is to have recommendations made on international protection applications as soon as possible. This ensures that those who are found to be in need of protection from the State can receive it quickly and begin rebuilding their lives here with a sense of safety and security.
In total, there were 9,048 international protection applications on hand at the International Protection Office (IPO) of my Department at the end of June 2022 and 952 cases on hand with the Ministerial Decisions Unit of my Department. There were 716 cases on hand with the Permission to Review (PTR) unit of the IPO. There were 796 appeals pending at the end of June 2022.
The table below sets out the figures requested by the Deputy with regard to applications on hand with the IPO.
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Less than 6 months
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6,209
|
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Between 6 and 12 months
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1,308
|
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Between 12 and 24 months
|
605
|
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Between 24 and 60 months
|
926
|
The Deputy may be aware that in recent months, the number of people claiming international protection has increased significantly, with 6,494 applications made so far this year to the end of June 2022. This is a 191% increase on the same period in 2019, the last year in which application numbers were not impacted by COVID-19.
Notwithstanding the very large increase in the number of applications, the median processing time for all international protection cases processed to completion by the IPO in Quarter 2 2022 was 22 months. The median processing times for prioritised applications processed in Q2 2022 was 10 months. All cases processed to completion by the Permission to Remain Review Unit in Quarter 2 2022 was 12.5 months. All cases processed to completion by the Ministerial Decisions Unit in Quarter 2 2022 was 4 days. Median processing times for appeals completed in Quarter 2 2022 was 12 months.
It is not possible for my Department to provide the data requested by the Deputy with regard to the number of international protection applicants currently in the State. There are no routine exit checks on people leaving the State, including people in the international protection process. Some applicants may leave the State without notifying my Department and decide not to continue with their application. People refused international protection and permission to remain are expected to leave the State, following fair procedure and allowing for all available avenues for appeal.
I can assure the Deputy that my Department continues to work to improve the international protection process and to reduce processing times, in line with the recommendations made by the Expert Advisory Group, led by Dr. Catherine Day, and the commitments in the Government's White Paper, published by my colleague, Minister Roderic O’Gorman.
However, the substantially higher number of applications currently being received, as outlined, will present a significant challenge in achieving this.
My Department is taking all possible steps to ensure we can process applications as quickly as possible. An end-to-end review of relevant international protection processes by a multidisciplinary team from my Department has been completed and published. New measures and procedures will continue to be put in place to improve efficiencies across all aspects of the protection process.
My Department will, by October 2022 at the latest, commence a review of progress made in reducing and improving processing times.
Payments to applicants in the international protection process are a matter for the Department of Social Protection, which administers the daily expenses allowance (DEA) paid to applicants who reside in accommodation provided by the IPAS (International Protection Accommodation Service) of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The current weekly rates of payment are €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child.
