Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 128: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps he will take to reduce the cost of current asylum applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14276/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I attach a high level of priority to ensuring that asylum applications are dealt with fairly and as quickly as possible, so as to minimise the cost to the State. The costs associated with the asylum system are multi-faceted but centre mainly on accommodation, application processing and operational costs and costs associated with judicial reviews. Inter-related factors include the numbers in the asylum system; the length of time taken to process claims and the impact of delays as a result of non co-operation by applicants; the high level of judicial reviews and the apparent abuse of that process in many instances by applicants seeking to prolong their stay in the State.

The cost of accommodating asylum applicants accounts for the bulk of the expenditure on asylum by my Department. In this regard, the direct provision system is an efficient means of accommodating asylum seekers. If this system was not in place the cost to the State of accommodating asylum seekers would be higher.

Various efficiency and cost reduction measures continue to be implemented across INIS with a view to reducing the costs associated with asylum applications. On the application processing side, the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal (RAT) keep processing times and scheduling arrangements under ongoing review with a view to limiting the amount of time applicants have to wait for a recommendation or decision, all of which impact on direct provision costs.

Particular emphasis is placed on maximising the number of asylum cases transferred to other European States for processing under the Dublin II Regulation and an increased focus on the return of failed applicants to their countries of origin through deportations and voluntary return.

There are also a range of other strategies in place aimed at tackling the various abuses of the asylum process and expediting the processing of asylum applications.

Other efficiency and cost reduction measures being pursued to reduce asylum costs include:

- implementation of the Government decision dated the 3 February, 2009 in relation to achieving an 8% reduction in spending on professional fees;

- engagement with contractors for asylum seeker accommodation to achieve an 8% reduction in RIA expenditure;

- commencement of Government agreed Value for Money (VFM) Review of spending by RIA on asylum seeker accommodation;

- implementation of strategies aimed at reducing asylum application numbers;

- establishment of ORAC Presenting Panel and an on-line system of access to Tribunal decisions, both of which are intended to speed up appeal hearings and reduce backlogs in the RAT;

- consolidating shared services related activities across INIS and redeploying resources to processing areas;

- strategies aimed at reducing the delays and costs associated with Judicial Review proceedings, such as greater use of in-house training, expertise and precedents, resulting in less use of counsel; ongoing review of practices and procedures and quality-proofing of decisions.

Finally, the Deputy will be aware that the enactment of the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill 2008 will be a key measure for achieving efficiencies in the asylum applications processing system itself, for establishing a more effective and streamlined removal process and for tackling abuses which the asylum and immigration system have to contend with, including apparent abuses of the judicial review system. The Bill comprehensively reforms and simplifies the current asylum system through the introduction of a single procedure for the investigation of all grounds put forward by applicants for protection. It is envisaged that there will be significant reductions in processing times upon enactment of the Bill, which will significantly reduce the costs involved in the asylum process.