Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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657. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons seeking asylum who arrived in each month from January 2020 to date; the countries travelled from in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11018/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The International Protection Office (IPO) of my Department is responsible for examining all applications received. The staff of the IPO (the Chief International Protection Officer and the International Protection Officers) are independent by law in the exercise of their international protection functions.

My Department has continued to accept and process international protection applications throughout the pandemic. The IPO remains open to allow those who wish to claim international protection the opportunity to do so. This is considered an essential service at all times, including during the Covid-19 crisis.

Table 1 below contains the number of applications for international protection received during 2020 broken down by month and country of origin of the applicant.

Table 2below contains the number of applications for international protection received and available for 2021.

Table 2

Applications for International Protection

January 2021*