Robert Troy
Question:884. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Justice the processing time for IP asylum applications. [37004/23]
View answerTuesday, 25 July 2023
Questions (884)
Written answers
My 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 number of International Protection applications last year was 13,651– a significant increase on recent years. This represents a 186% increase on the number received in 2019, the last year in which application numbers were not impacted by COVID-19. A further 5,471 applications have been received to date in 2023 (to end June).
Minister McEntee recently published a report on the International Protection Modernisation Programme for 2023 and 2024. The report set out a suite of reform measures and signals a goal to reach 1,000 decisions on International Protection applications per month by early next year.
As part of this programme, a number of measures have been implemented to improve efficiencies and throughput, in tandem with reforms to the application, interview and decision-making process. The IPO have already increased the number applications processed from 2,484 in 2021 to 4,899 in 2022 – an increase of 97%. This year, to end June 2023, almost 3,990 first instance decisions have been made by the IPO, increasing even further the rate of decisions being made year on year.
The median processing time for first instance decisions in quarter two of 2023 was 12 months, a reduction from 18 months over the course of 2022. The median processing times for appeals in quarter two 2023 was just below 5 months, down from 15 months at the beginning of 2022. Currently fewer than 2% of people are waiting over two years for a first-instance decision, typically for reasons not in the IPO’s control.
As part of this programme, an accelerated procedure for international protection applicants from safe countries of origin was also introduced. Applicants from safe countries of origin now receive a first instance decision in less than 3 months, which is a significant reduction from a norm of 22 to 26 months early last year.
These reforms are being supported with significant increased resources. Approximately €19m was allocated in Budget 2023 to the International Protection Office (IPO) and International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) to scale up processing. This is supported by investment in human resources, infrastructure, technology and process engineering. As part of the modernisation programme I have put in place, these resources, and the impact they are having is being closely monitored and will be adjusted and refined as necessary.
The Deputy may also wish to know that my Department has created a new website to provide a detailed overview of the International Protection process in Ireland which can be accessed at:
www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/304ba-international-protection/
This site also provides detailed statistics and metrics in relation to processing of applications for protection. These statistics will be published on a monthly basis.
www.gov.ie/en/collection/48a28-international-protection-in-numbers/