Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 October 2023
295. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the procedure to be followed by a person (details supplied), who has attempted to appeal online, with limited success, to appeal against the decision to refuse them entry into the international protection programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43421/23]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, it is not my Department's practice to comment on whether an application for international protection has been made in the State. If a person is in the international protection process, there is a legal requirement under the International Protection Act 2015 to maintain full confidentiality at all times. Therefore the Department is unable to publish any information that would identify an international protection applicant.
If an application for international protection has been made in the State, the applicant or their designated legal advisor should contact the International Protection Office (IPO) or the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) directly, as appropriate. This will enable a full and comprehensive reply to be provided.
Both the International Protection Office (IPO) and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) are fully independent in deciding whether or not to grant international protection. Each application is examined individually on its own merits, in line with national and international asylum law.
The International Protection Office may be contacted: by email to info@ipo.gov.ie ; by telephone to the IPO Customer Service Centre at 01 6028000 or in writing to Customer Service Centre, International Protection Office, 79-83 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.
The International Protection Appeals Tribunal may be contacted either: by email to info@protectionappeals.ie ; by telephone at 01-4748400 (or Lo-Call 1890 201 458), or in writing to Corporate Services Division, The International Protection Appeals Tribunal, 6-7 Hanover Street East, Dublin D02 W320.
Information and an overview of the application process for international protection applicants can be found on the IPO website here:
www.ipo.gov.ie/en/IPO/Pages/Assessment_of_Application
Information on how to make an appeal to the International Protection Appeals Tribunal, as well as how to access legal advice can be found here:
www.protectionappeals.ie/how-to-appeal/
The Department's website also provides a detailed overview of the International Protection process in Ireland which can be accessed at:
www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/304ba-international-protection/
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases (excepting those relating to an international protection applicant) may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up-to-date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the parliamentary questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
