Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 955: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the number of civil servant presenting officers employed in the Office of Refugee Applications Commissioner for each of the past five years expressed in terms of whole-time equivalents; the number of outstanding Refugee Appeal Tribunal appeals for each of the past five years in tabular form; his plans to increase the number of civil servant presenting officers in order to reduce the number of outstanding appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32482/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The number of staff in the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) acting as Presenting Officers at appeal hearings of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal for the last 5 years has ranged from 15.85 whole time equivalents in 2005 to 9.85 in the current year. The number of outstanding appeals in the Refugee Appeals Tribunal for each of the past 5 years is set out below:

As of 31 August 2010, there are 1265 appeals outstanding in the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. The number of staff assigned to the various areas of activity for which my Department has responsibility is kept under ongoing review in the light of overall work priorities and staffing requirements generally within the Department and its agencies.