Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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147. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will consider extending the hours of operation of the International Protection Office on Mount Street Lower, Dublin 2 to process applicants for international protection given the significant increase in the number making applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24327/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Due to an increase in the number of new international protection applications over recent months, since 10 April 2024, the International Protection Office (IPO) has been operating a second location for registering families accompanied by children at Citywest Convention Centre, Saggart, Co. Dublin.

The Citywest facility has greater capacity to process families with children and is equipped to handle large groups of people. A large family waiting area and a child-friendly space is available, alongside private rooms for vulnerability assessments. Staff from Citywest and the IPO are supported by local volunteers. Applicants are assisted by cultural mediators from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Interpreters are on site to work with applicants in completing their forms.

Since the Citywest processing site opened to cob Thursday 23rd May, some 1,180 applicants have made their applications at this location, reducing by almost half the number of applicants presenting at the IPO offices on Lower Mount Street (where single and adult applicants continue to apply).

I am ramping up investment at every level of the international protection system, including in the International Protection Office. In recent years, the budget for the IPO has doubled. This has enabled 5,000 interviews to be scheduled to end April this year compared to 2,800 in the same period in 2023. It has also led to a trebling of the number of decisions issued. My Department are continuing to take steps to increase the numbers of interviews scheduled, and the number of cases completed in the IPO. This includes through additional investment, the hiring of additional staff, and the piloting of remote interviews.