Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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694. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality of the current number of people in direct provision in the State, the number of individuals who have received an initial decision on their application to remain in the State from the officer of the Refugee Applications Commissioner but who have lodged an appeal with the Refugee Appeals Tribunal; the number of people currently living in direct provision who have lodged an appeal to the High Court challenging a decision of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal; and if she will provide a breakdown of the length of time these appeals have been pending. [34755/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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There are currently approximately 4,300 persons residing in direct provision accommodation. The number of appeals currently pending in the Refugee Appeals Tribunal (RAT) against asylum or subsidiary protection decisions of the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner is 1,154. The median processing time for a substantive asylum appeal currently stands at 41 weeks. As the RAT has only recently begun to process subsidiary protection appeals it is not possible to provide a median processing time for such cases.

There are currently 582 active judicial reviews challenging decisions of the RAT. It can take a number of years for the court process to be completed in relation to such cases.

Details in relation to the number of persons residing in the direct provision system who have appeals pending in the RAT or active judicial reviews challenging decisions of the RAT are not readily available. However a recent analysis revealed that approximately 50% of persons in the direct provision system have either judicial review applications pending, are the subject of deportation orders, or are seeking leave to remain in the State for non-protection reasons.

The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department, which manages the direct provision system, is keen to provide as much detail as is practicable on the system which it is charged with operating. Extensive statistical information is on its website - www.ria.gov.ie- including Annual Reports covering the years from 2007 to 2013 inclusive, providing a variety of information. Much of this information is also provided on a centre by centre basis.