Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
487. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of international protection applicants who sought protection in Ireland from eight countries (details supplied) in each of the past 24 months, in tabular form. [33790/23]
View answerMy Department takes all necessary steps to manage the international protection process efficiently and effectively, while ensuring the integrity of those processes is maintained at all times. The International Protection Office (IPO) of my Department is responsible for examining all international protection applications received. The staff of the IPO are independent by law in the exercise of their international protection functions.
The following countries were designated as safe countries of origin with effect from 16 April 2018 under the International Protection Act 2015 (Safe Countries of Origin) Order 2018:
• Albania;
• Bosnia and Herzegovina;
• Georgia;
• Kosovo;
• Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of);
• Montenegro;
• Serbia; and
• South Africa.
On November 8 2022, the International Protection Office (IPO) introduced accelerated procedures for international protection applicants from safe countries of origin.
An applicant from a safe country of origin is afforded the opportunity to submit grounds, in writing and/or at interview, as to why their country is not safe for them and those grounds are given due consideration. Furthermore, all applicants have the right to appeal a negative recommendation by the IPO to the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT).
Overall, my Department is working to minimise the timeframe for receiving a decision on an international protection application, allowing those eligible to remain the opportunity to rebuild their lives. Those who are not entitled to the protection of the State will also be advised of that fact as quickly as possible.
The table below gives a breakdown of the number of international protection applicants who sought protection in Ireland from six of the designated safe countries referenced in Deputy's question in each of the past 24 months, in tabular form. In relation to the remaining designated safe countries Bosnia & Herzegovina and Montenegro, no applications have made between June 2021 to June 2023.
Breakdown of applications from designated safe countries June 2021 to June 2022*
|
Year/ Month |
Albania |
Georgia |
Kosovo / UNSCR 1244 |
South Africa |
Serbia |
The Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia |
|
2021 |
||||||
|
June |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
July |
5 |
17 |
<=5 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
|
August |
5 |
54 |
0 |
11 |
0 |
0 |
|
September |
8 |
67 |
<=5 |
19 |
0 |
0 |
|
October |
11 |
45 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
0 |
|
November |
12 |
46 |
0 |
17 |
<=5 |
0 |
|
December |
<=5 |
77 |
0 |
14 |
0 |
0 |
|
2022 |
||||||
|
January |
<=5 |
49 |
<=5 |
14 |
0 |
0 |
|
February |
8 |
57 |
0 |
24 |
0 |
<=5 |
|
March |
17 |
114 |
<=5 |
41 |
0 |
0 |
|
April |
17 |
198 |
0 |
54 |
0 |
0 |
|
May |
27 |
340 |
0 |
48 |
0 |
0 |
|
June |
12 |
424 |
0 |
53 |
0 |
0 |
|
July |
23 |
335 |
<=5 |
44 |
0 |
0 |
|
August |
24 |
277 |
0 |
23 |
0 |
0 |
|
September |
28 |
266 |
0 |
42 |
0 |
0 |
|
October |
24 |
240 |
5 |
26 |
0 |
0 |
|
November |
23 |
244 |
7 |
34 |
0 |
0 |
|
December |
13 |
166 |
8 |
47 |
0 |
0 |
|
2023 |
||||||
|
January |
21 |
145 |
5 |
59 |
0 |
0 |
|
February |
11 |
84 |
6 |
17 |
0 |
0 |
|
March |
14 |
54 |
5 |
37 |
0 |
0 |
|
April |
8 |
37 |
<=5 |
33 |
0 |
0 |
|
May |
9 |
47 |
<=5 |
31 |
0 |
0 |
|
June |
20 |
60 |
<=5 |
52 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
352 |
3447 |
48 |
767 |
<=5 |
<=5 |
*Where the number of applications for individual countries is low (less than 6), a breakdown is not provided. This is for reasons of confidentiality, as provided for under section 26 of the International Protection Act 2015.
