Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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250. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of asylum seekers given leave to remain here on humanitarian grounds in 2016 and 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2816/18]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that the information sought by the Deputy is included in the table.

The number for 2017 is influenced by the introduction of the new International Protection Act which required significant changes to procedures as well as the introduction of the transition provisions of the Act which required a significant number of cases to revert for processing to the International Protection Office.  All of this impacted on the number of cases brought to finality. With the new procedures bedded down the rate of processing is expected to increase significantly in 2018 and beyond.