Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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1062. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the international protection office schedules interviews for applicants on weekends. [16350/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The International Protection Office (IPO) of my Department is responsible for examining all international protection applications received. IPO staff are independent by law in the exercise of their international protection functions.

Those who wish to apply for international protection can attend the IPO without an appointment during the hours of 9.00 a.m. to 2.30p.m, Monday to Friday. Applicants are also seen by appointment for interview during Monday-Friday from 9.00 a.m. - 8.00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.  These extended opening hours are designed to enable staff to process cases in the shortest time.

Over the last number of months, the IPO has implemented a number of measures to improve efficiencies and throughput, in tandem with reforms to the application, interview and decision-making process. On foot of these reforms there has been a progressive improvement in processing times, with median processing times in 2022 down to 10 months in Q4 from a norm of 22-26 months earlier in the year.