Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2024
912. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice in arriving at their conclusions in the report prepared pursuant to section 39 of the International Protection Act 2015, how many applications for international protection are rejected on credibility grounds, by employees of the IPO in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12417/24]
View answer913. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice in arriving at their conclusions in the report prepared pursuant to section 39 of the International Protection Act 2015, how many applications for international protection are rejected on credibility grounds by external service providers in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12418/24]
View answer914. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice how many of the reports of the IPO, prepared pursuant to section 39 of the International Protection Act 2015 have as primary author, an employee of the Department in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12419/24]
View answer915. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice how many of the reports prepared by the IPO, pursuant to section 39 of the International Protection Act 2015, have been authored by external service providers, and subject to supervision/signing by the IPO in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12420/24]
View answer916. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice how many reports, prepared pursuant section 39 of the International Protection Act 2015, were prepared in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12421/24]
View answer917. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice how many of the recommendations provided in the reports were not followed by the Minister in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12422/24]
View answer918. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Justice how many of the recommendations provided in the reports were followed by the Minister in each of the years 2021, 2022 and 2023. [12423/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 912 to 918, inclusive, together.
The complex nature of the International Protection Act 2015 and the consideration of international protection applications requires in-depth training and the IPO works closely with the UNHCR and the EUAA in developing and delivering this training to its staff and panel members. The IPO therefore has a comprehensive training programme in place for all caseworkers and panel members involved in interviewing applicants and considering international protection applications.
I can advise the Deputy that an assessment of credibility is one of a number of important factors that are taken into account in considering a claim for international protection and whether individual applicants meet the threshold of facing a well-founded fear of persecution or face the risk of suffering serious harm. However, the Department does not maintain records which would readily identify those claims in which credibility formed a significant part of the consideration that led to an unsuccessful claim for protection.
Data is also not collated in a manner which enables a breakdown of report authors by civil servant or Panel Member.
Following the provisions of Section 40(1) of the International Protection Act 2015, the Minister is required by statute to notify an applicant and/or their legal representative if applicable, of the recommendation made by an international protection officer following the preparation of a report under Section 39 of the Act.
The following table shows the number of recommendations issued to International Protection Applicants from 2021 to 2023:
|
Year |
No. of Notices Issued to IP Applicants |
|
2021 |
2,387 |
|
2022 |
4,337 |
|
2023 |
8,074 |
|
Total |
14,798 |
*Data provided is correct at time of issue and may be subject to data cleansing.
Separately, other staff will then decide, on behalf of the Minister, whether or not permission to remain in the State should be granted on humanitarian or other grounds, as set out in section 49 of the International Protection Act 2015 to unsuccessful applicants for international protection.
