Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 February 2019
109. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications for asylum received under the offices of the international protection arrangement since its inauguration; the number approved, refused or pending, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10193/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the International Protection Office (IPO) that there were a total of 7,011 applications for international protection made in the State since the commencement of the International Protection Act 2015 on 31st December 2016 (the date on which the IPO was established). I should add that the office also assumed responsibility for some 3,500 cases on that date arising from the transitional arrangements set-out in the Act.
Since the commencement of the International Protection Act 2015 there have been a total of 1,872 decisions granting international protection (both refugee and subsidiary protection status) to protection applicants issued by the Ministerial Decisions Unit of my Department. There were a total of 1,069 decisions refusing international protection (refugee and subsidiary protection status) in the same period. The volume of applications processed by the International Protection Office has been increasing following an initial establishment and training period and through the allocation of additional resources.
There were a total of 5,758 international protection applications on hand with the IPO as at 1st February 2019 at various stages of the process. A significant number have not returned their completed questionnaire and are being followed up separately. The IPO have informed me that there are just over 1,000 applicants who are waiting to have their interviews scheduled at this stage. The overall figures must be viewed in the context of large numbers of new applicants entering the system over the past 18 months with almost 750 new applications received to date this year alone.
