Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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265. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of applications for family re-unification that were made under section 56 of the International Protection Act 2015 in 2024 and to date in 2025; and the number of successful and unsuccessful applications, respectively. [5432/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, family reunification as provided for in Section 56 of the International Protection Act 2015, allows people granted International Protection to apply for certain family members to join them in the State.

An application for family reunification must be made by the sponsor within 12 months of them being granted an International Protection permission and is subject to the provisions of the International Protection Act 2015.

Currently, there are 1,856 sponsor applications in progress under the Act, accounting for 5,988 family members. In 2024, my Department received 1,467 family reunification sponsor applications accounting for 4,433 family members. To end January 2025 my Department received 130 family reunification sponsor applications accounting for 348 family members.

In 2024, 879 family members were approved and 145 refused; 752 were found to be ineligible under the terms of the 2015 Act and a further 99 withdrew from the process.

To end January 2025, 31 family members were approved and 8 refused; 76 were found to be ineligible under the terms of the 2015 Act and a further 10 withdrew from the process.