Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My Department and I are taking every necessary step to manage the international protection process as efficiently and effectively as we can while ensuring that the integrity of the process is maintained at all times. During 2023, the number of applications was 13,277. While this was a slight decrease of 3% on 2022, it still represented an increase of 177% on the number that was received pre Covid. The Deputy can appreciate that this was a significant increase to which to respond. Ensuring that applications are processed quickly means that those who need our protection are given that protection quickly and given the opportunity to rebuild and move on with their lives. It also means that those who do not qualify are told to return to their countries of origin as quickly as possible.

My Department has taken a significant number of measures to increase the capacity of the international protection system. I have introduced an accelerated procedure for applicants from designated safe countries of origin. These applicants now typically receive a first instance decision in less than three months, a significant reduction from the norm of 22 or 26 months that used to be the case. Up to 31 January, the number of applications from safe countries had reduced by more than 50% compared to the previous 12 months. The safe country process is working. Many of those using the international protection process have in fact been economic migrants. We need to send a strong message to people that there are other routes for them to take and that they should not be clogging up an important system.

Last July, I published a report on the international protection modernisation programme for 2023 and 2024. This programme involves unparalleled investment in staff, panel members, re-engineered processes, and technology. We have implemented measures to improve efficiencies and throughput as well as enhancing the application, interview and decision-making processes for all applicants.

One of the priority areas of focus has been to recruit civil servants and panel members in order to increase case processing. The office now has more than 400 staff, an increase of 95%, so the staff complement has almost doubled since last year. The IPO made 2,482 first instance determinations in 2021, 4,323 in 2022 and 9,000 in 2023. I am confident that we will deliver approximately 14,000 first instance decisions this year.

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