Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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140. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of international protection applications made to date in 2024, by month, in tabular form. [43515/24]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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141. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to outline the average processing times for those seeking international protection in the State as of 18 October 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43516/24]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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142. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to outline the average and median processing times for appeals of international protection applications as of 18 October 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43517/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 to 142, inclusive, together.

My Department has significantly increased investment into the international protection system. Measures have been implemented to improve efficiencies and throughput while also enhancing the application, interview, and decision-making process for applicants.

One of the priority areas of focus has been to recruit both civil servants and panel members to increase case processing. The IPO now has 558 staff, an increase of 163% over 2022. In addition, there are currently 229 Panel Members contracted by the IPO, an increase of 124% over 2022 figures.

Budget 2025 has provided a €25m package for end-to-end investment in the immigration system including Service Delivery, International Protection Office, International Protection Appeals Tribunal and the Legal Aid Board.

These significant additional resources will be directed to streamline the end-to end international protection process, with approximately 400 further staff to be recruited for roles across this process. This will support reaching key targets, including the IPO making 25,000 first instance decisions in 2025 compared to an expected 14,000 decisions in 2024.

I introduced accelerated processing in November 2022 and it now applies to the following cohorts:

• 15 safe countries of origin - Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Egypt, Georgia, India, Kosovo, Malawi, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Morocco, Serbia and South Africa.
• Applicants who have received protection elsewhere in Europe.
• Citizens of those countries which provide the most number of applicants in the previous quarter (currently Nigeria & Jordan).