Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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1071. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of asylum applications by month from January 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63440/22]

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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1118. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of applications for asylum received in each year from 2016 to 2022; the number of applications which were approved and rejected in those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1421/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1071 and 1118 together.

My Department's overall objective is to have decisions made on applications from people seeking international protection as quickly as possible. This ensures that those who are found to be in need of protection in Ireland can receive it quickly and begin rebuilding their lives here with a sense of safety and security.

It must be acknowledged that those who do not have a legal right to remain in this country must return to their own country.

A decision to effect a deportation order is taken following fair procedure and when the individual concerned has gone through all available avenues for appeal.

The information sought by the Deputy with regard to the number of asylum applications by month from January 2020 to date, can be found in the tables below.

New applications for International protection by month from Jan 2020 to December 2022*

During 2022 the number of people claiming international protection increased significantly, with cations made with the IPO. This is a 186% increase on the same period in 2019, the last year in which application numbers were not impacted by COVID-19.

The information sought in relation to the total number of applications for asylum received in each year from 2016 to 2022 is provided in the table below.

The table below sets out the number of applications which were approved and rejected from 2016 to 2022

* The figures in the table above refer to the year in which the decision was made and not necessarily to the year in which the application was made.

My Department is committed to reducing processing times for international protection applicants and we are taking steps to ensure that applications are dealt with as quickly as possible.

Over the last number of months, the International Protection Office has implemented a number of measures to improve efficiencies and throughput, in tandem with reforms to the application, interview and decision making process, and these are having a significant impact upon processing times.

The Government has also committed additional funding of nearly €18m in 2023 that will also go towards increasing efficiency in processing applications, including by increasing staff numbers at the International Protection Office. Further reforms are being examined with a view to speeding up the processing of applications.