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International Protection

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2024

Wednesday, 17 January 2024

Questions (1142)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

1142. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons who applied for international protection in Ireland in 2022 and 2023 broken down, by country of origin; the number of those have left the country since; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1809/24]

View answer

Written answers

My Department is taking all necessary steps to manage the international protection process fairly, efficiently and effectively, as part of the broader Government response, while ensuring the integrity of Ireland's rules-based immigration system is maintained.

Where an international protection application, encompassing the three component elements of refugee status, subsidiary protection and permission to remain, is refused, the relevant applicant is notified of this decision. At this point, the individual is given the option of engaging with a voluntary returns process with the assistance of the Department and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Many people choose to leave at this point and do not inform the authorities of their departure.  

If they choose not to opt for voluntary return, the Minister will issue a deportation order under the International Protection Act.  It is the case that many hundreds of individuals who were subject to Deportation Orders have left the State without notifying the relevant authorities.  While it is not possible to provide definitive figures for the number of such persons, the Garda National Immigration Bureau has reviewed a large sample of the cases subject to deportation orders and their inquiries suggest a very significant number of these individuals have left the State.  

Please see below tables showing the number of persons who applied for international protection in Ireland in 2022 and 2023 broken down, by country of origin.

Nationality

Total IP Applications 2023

Nigeria

2084

Algeria

1462

Afghanistan

1106

Somalia

1098

Georgia

1065

Zimbabwe

774

Pakistan

624

South Africa

492

Bangladesh

445

Botswana

343

Egypt

283

Ukraine

216

Syrian Arab Republic

194

Congo, The Democratic Republic Of The

177

Morocco

177

Brazil

170

Albania

168

Sudan

167

El Salvador

159

India

143

Bolivia

119

Iraq

119

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

115

Swaziland

105

Ghana

86

Malawi

82

China (Including Hong Kong)

81

Jordan

78

Nicaragua

71

Iran (Islamic Republic Of)

69

Tunisia

60

Ethiopia

43

Kosovo / UNSCR 1244

41

Mauritius

39

Kenya

37

Angola

37

Viet Nam

36

Cameroon

35

Uganda

34

Yemen

34

Guatemala

34

Eritrea

31

Nepal

29

Stateless

29

Russian Federation

29

Turkey

29

Mexico

28

Kuwait

27

Sierra Leone

26

United States Of America

18

Venezuela

18

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

16

Namibia

13

Colombia

12

United Kingdom

12

Zambia

12

Honduras

11

Sri Lanka

11

Chile

10

Gambia

10

Lesotho

9

Israel

9

Mongolia

9

Argentina

9

Panama

8

Tanzania, United Republic Of

8

Korea, Democratic People's Republic Of (North Korea)

8

Congo, The Republic Of The

8

Guyana

7

Uzbekistan

7

Togo

7

Azerbaijan

7

Belarus

7

Lebanon

6

Moldova, Republic Of

6

Saudi Arabia

6

Myanmar

6

Burundi

6

Malaysia

6

Other*

66

Total

13277

Nationality

Total IP Applications 2022

Georgia

2710

Algeria

1766

Somalia

1566

Nigeria

1108

Zimbabwe

973

Afghanistan

846

South Africa

450

Ukraine

422

Botswana

370

Egypt

339

Pakistan

243

Albania

219

Congo, The Democratic Republic Of The

187

Morocco

178

El Salvador

177

Bangladesh

159

Syrian Arab Republic

98

Sudan

97

Malawi

94

Brazil

91

Sierra Leone

78

Iraq

77

Ethiopia

74

India

70

Iran (Islamic Republic Of)

69

Russian Federation

69

Ghana

67

Nicaragua

61

Swaziland

59

Tunisia

51

Bolivia

45

Kenya

44

Türkiye

43

Uganda

42

Yemen

40

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

35

Eritrea

34

Togo

33

Cameroon

27

Jordan

27

Malaysia

27

Nepal

27

Angola

26

Venezuela

26

Mauritius

25

Kosovo / UNSCR 1244

23

Belarus

21

Viet Nam

20

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

19

Kuwait

18

Guatemala

17

Lebanon

15

Stateless

14

Saudi Arabia

13

Burundi

12

China (Including Hong Kong)

12

United States Of America

12

Honduras

10

Sri Lanka

10

Myanmar

9

United Kingdom

9

Azerbaijan

7

Panama

7

Israel

6

Kazakhstan

6

Tanzania, United Republic Of

6

Other*

113

Total

13649

 Notes:

-  Figures are correct at time of issue and may be subject to data cleansing.

-  It is the policy of the Department not to release numbers where there are less than 5 in respect of any nationality, as there is a possibility that a person may be identifiable by releasing such information.

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