Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2023
587. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the average processing time in Ireland for an application for asylum; the longest application processing time; and the number of persons who are currently having their applications for asylum processed (details supplied). [55433/23]
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 number of international protection applications last year was 13,650, a significant increase on recent years. It represents a 186% increase on the number received in 2019, the most recent year in which application numbers were not impacted by Covid-19. There have been 11,850 applications for international protection made at the International Protection Office (IPO) to the end of November 2023.
In July this year, I published a report on the international protection modernisation programme for 2023 and 2024. This programme is implementing measures to improve efficiencies and throughput as well as improving the application, interview and decision-making process for applicants. This will give status to those who are entitled to international protection to rebuild their lives here, while also ensuring faster decision making in respect of those who do not meet the criteria.
As part of this modernisation programme, I also signed a regulation in November 2022 to introduce an accelerated procedure for international protection applicants from designated safe countries of origin. These applicants now typically receive a first instance decision in less than three months, which is a significant reduction from a norm of 22 to 26 months early last year.
Over the course of the last year, the IPO has tripled the number of monthly determinations to over 1,000 in November, and plans to deliver at least 14,000 decisions in 2024, a further increase of almost 5,000 cases.
For the week ending on December 3 2023 there were 17,531 International Protection applications pending at the IPO and 3,343 appeals pending at the IPAT on the 1st of December 2023.
The median processing time for first-instance decisions reduced from 18 months in 2022 down to 12 months in 2023 to end of October. The median processing times for appeals in IPAT is also down from 15 months at the beginning of 2022 to five months in 2023.
The longest application processing time to end of October in 2023 was 77 months, i.e. the first instance decision was issued in 2023, 77 months after initial application. It should be noted that this type of situation will only arise in the most exceptional of circumstances. These can include cases before the courts, or where an applicant disengages with the process for an extended period of time, or cannot be contacted. Typically, where an application remains in processing for a longer period this is due to reasons outside the control of my Department. Arrangements are in place to resolve such long-standing cases where possible.
92% of cases decided in 2022 were processed in 3 years or less and 62% of cases decided in 2022 were processed in 2 years or less.
Reforms to the international protection process will continue in 2024. Approximately €34m was allocated in budget 2024 to the International Protection Office (IPO) and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) to continue to scale up processing.
