Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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208. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the projected costs of doubling funding to the International Protection Office and the International Protection Appeal Tribunal. [30444/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that I am fully committed to ensuring that Ireland’s International Protection system is robust and rules based, and that our borders are protected.The expenditure for the International Protection Office as well as the International Protection Appeals Tribunal amounted to approximately €27 million in 2023. This expenditure does not include the costs of a range of support services provided to these functions from the overall Department's funding in 2023, or for immigration functions closely associated with the international protection process.

I have significantly increased investment into the international protection system, which has allowed for a major increase in processing capacity and the introduction of accelerated processing.

Last July, I published a report on the international protection modernisation programme for 2023 and 2024. This programme involved unparalleled investment in staff, panel members, re-engineered processes, and technology. We have implemented measures to improve efficiencies and throughput as well as enhancing the application, interview and decision-making process for applicants. This has already demonstrated results with the IPO confident of delivering over 14,000 decisions this year.

One of the priority areas of focus has been to recruit both civil servants and panel members, to increase case processing. A total of 449 staff were assigned to the IPO by 30th June 2024, this represents an increase of 237 from 212 at the end of December 2022, and represents 91.6% of the target of 490 staff by the end of 2024.

The IPO made 2,482 first instance determinations in 2021, 4323 in 2022, 9,000 in 2023 and are confident of delivering over 14,000 decisions this year. I intend to continue to ramp up investment at every stage in the international protection system.

Staff numbers at the International Protection Appeals Tribunal have also been increasing year on year to meet the current challenges. In 2021, the agreed administrative staff of the Tribunal was 41, currently there are 71 administrative staff with an aim to increase this to 78 by the end of 2024.

The number of tribunal members is also increasing. There are currently 51 Part-Time Members. In January, sanction was given to increase the number of part time members to 160. Sanction was also received in January to increase Whole-Time Members from 3 to 8.

All aspects of the international protection modernisation programme will continue to be kept under review and improved on a continuous ongoing basis.