Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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548. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of asylum seekers in Ireland still awaiting their temporary residence certificates to be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24505/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The overall objective of my Department is to have recommendations made on international protection applications as soon as possible. This ensures that those who are found to be in need of protection from the State can receive it quickly and begin rebuilding their lives here with a sense of safety and security.

Anyone who wishes to make an application for international protection must proactively do so on their own behalf and on behalf of any of their minor family members. If they apply initially at their port of entry to the State they will still need to make a formal application at the Dublin offices of the International Protection Office (IPO) of my Department. There is no need to make an appointment. Everyone completes their preliminary interview under Section 13 of the International Protection Act 2015 on the day they first attend the IPO offices.

In recent months, the number of people claiming international protection has increased significantly with 3,354 applications made to the end of April 2022. This represents a 600% increase on the same period in 2021 and a 129% increase on the same period in 2019, the last year in which application numbers were not impacted by COVID-19.

This has unfortunately impacted the IPO’s ability to complete an application and issue TRC cards on the same day to applicants. There are currently approximately 416 applicants who need to return to complete their applications.

The IPO has identified the practical efficiencies that can be made to improve the process and has put in place measures to ensure that the call back appointments are cleared as quickly as possible for the benefit of applicants, allowing the vast majority of applicants complete the entire process on the first day.

The target is to have the remaining call back appointments cleared by the end of May, including by offering appointments at weekends. The IPO is determined to maintain the positive momentum around this approach and to continuing to ensure that the majority of new applicants receive their TRC cards on the day of application.