Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The statistical information sought by the Deputy in relation to international protection applicants is set out in the tables in the attached.

With regard to the statistical information requested for the number of applications for international protection approved and the number rejected; it has not been possible to collate the information requested in the time allowed. I will write to the Deputy directly when the information is to hand.

My Department takes all necessary steps to manage the international protection process efficiently and effectively, while ensuring the integrity of those processes is maintained at all times.

The number of International Protection applications last year was 13,651– a significant increase on recent years. This represents a 186% increase on the number received in 2019, the last year in which application numbers were not impacted by COVID-19. A further 8,906 applications have been received to date in 2023 (to 30^thSeptember).

There were 16,566applications pending at the International Protection Office on the 1st October 2023. There were an additional 2,387 appeals pending at the International Protection Appeals Tribunal on the 25th September 2023.

Minister McEntee recently published a report on the International Protection Modernisation Programme for 2023 and 2024. The report set out a suite of reform measures and signals a goal to reach 1,000 decisions on International Protection applications per month by early next year.

As part of this programme, a number of measures have been implemented to improve efficiencies and throughput. The IPO increased the number of applications processed from 2,462 in 2021 to 4,990 in 2022 – an increase of 102.7%. This year, to end September 2023, the IPO completed 6,417 first instance decisions, increasing even further the rate of decisions year on year. This represents a 31% increase compared to 2022 (year to date).

The median processing time for first instance decisions in quarter two of 2023 was 12 months, a reduction from 18 months over the course of 2022. The median processing times for appeals in quarter two 2023 was just below 5 months, down from 15 months at the beginning of 2022. Currently fewer than 5% of people are waiting over two years for a first-instance decision, typically for reasons not in the IPO’s control.

As part of this programme, an accelerated procedure for international protection applicants from safe countries of origin was also introduced. Applicants from safe countries of origin now receive a first instance decision in less than 3 months,which is a significant reduction from a norm of 22 to 26 months early last year. For accelerated procedure only, the median processing time was only 9.5 weeks in August.

These reforms are being supported with significant increased resources. Approximately €19m was allocated to the International Protection Office (IPO) and International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) and invested in human resources, infrastructure, technology and process engineering.

The Deputy may also wish to know that my Department has created a website to provide a detailed overview of the International Protection process in Ireland which can be accessed at:

www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/304ba-international-protection/

This site also provides detailed statistics and metrics in relation to processing of applications for protection. These statistics are published on a monthly basis.

www.gov.ie/en/collection/48a28-international-protection-in-numbers/