Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

266. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the average number of decisions on applications for asylum that are made each month; the number of applications for asylum that have been granted to date in 2022 compared to 2019 to 2021 inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57173/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The International Protection office of my Department endeavours to make recommendations 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.

In recent months, the number of people claiming international protection has increased significantly, with 11,140 applications made so far this year to the end of October 2022. This is a 165% increase on the same period in 2019, the last year in which application numbers were not impacted by COVID-19.

My Department is taking steps to ensure that applications are dealt with as quickly as possible. New measures and procedures have been put in place to improve efficiencies across all aspects of the protection process. The introduction of these new procedures are in parallel with a commitment to significantly increase the resources available for the international protection system in Budget 2023.

The information sought by the Deputy with regard to the average number of decisions on applications for asylum and the number granted a protection status can be found in the attached tables.

The average figure for monthly decisions (Refugee Status and Subsidiary Protection only) issued by the Ministerial Decisions Unit in 2022 to end October is 503.

Figures for ministerial grant decisions (RS and SP) from 2019 to 2021 and in 2022 to 31 October can be found in the table below.