International Protection

Wednesday, 20 March 2024

Questions (902, 903, 904, 906)

Alan Kelly

Question:

902. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice how many Department staff were engaged exclusively at the IPO in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12407/24]

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903. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice how many of the interviews with applicants under section 35(12) of the International Protection Act 2015 were conducted by employees of the Department in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12408/24]

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Alan Kelly

Question:

904. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice how many of the interviews with applicants under section 35(12) of the International Protection Act 2015 were conducted by external service providers to the Department in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12409/24]

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Alan Kelly

Question:

906. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice how many employees of the Department/IPO were engaged exclusively in determining applications under the International Protection Act 2015 in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12411/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Justice

I propose to take Questions Nos. 902, 903, 904 and 906 together.

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 table below details the number of staff in the IPO from 2021 - 2023.

Year	2021	2022	2023
Number of staff	180	206	408

The table below provides details of the number of employees whose primary function was to make recommendations to the Minister on first instance applications for International Protection in accordance with the provisions of the International Protection Act 2015 in the years 2021 to 2023.

The Deputy will appreciate that individual roles and assignments will vary over the course of any given year. Staff not directly involved in determinations are involved in other essential functions under the International Protection Act including initial registration of applicants, scheduling and administration of the interview process, and issuing of decisions, as well as normal organisational support functions.

Year	Number of Staff involved in Determinations
2021	83
2022	92
2023	242

In relation to the number of interviews carried out, statistics are not maintained in relation to the information sought by the Deputy. To be of assistance, however, the following data has been extracted from IPO records, but should be considered operational and subject to adjustment. The Deputy will appreciate that the number of interviews conducted is expected to increase further in 2024 as additional staff and panel members come on board, and also as the full year impact of the very large number of staff and panel members appointed during 2023 is realised.

-	2021	2022	2023
Interviews conducted by civil servants	662	1,134	2,292
Interviews conducted by Panel Members	1,054	4,049	5,700

Question No. 903 answered with Question No. 902.

Question No. 904 answered with Question No. 902.