Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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350. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he is aware of instances where interpreters passed on privileged information outside of their interpretation work to International Protection Office (IPO) officials, having gained this information due to their ability to communicate with an international protection applicant in their first language, and which had negative consequences on the asylum application of the people they had interpreted from; if so, how many such instances he is aware of in the past three years; and whether the IPO continues to use the services of those interpreters. [22701/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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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.

As part of this, my Department ensures that international protection applications are dealt with fairly and efficiently within the framework of Ireland's international obligations.

The International Protection Office (IPO) primarily provides Cultural Mediators through a partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Separately, interpretation services are provided through a number of contracts with service providers.

Both cultural mediators and interpreters support applicants in making their initial application and at their personal interview. Their role is to assist and support the applicant in the international protection process in a language that they are reasonably expected to understand.

All cultural mediators are subject to both an IPO and an IOM code of conduct. Interpreters and all service providers to the International Protection Office are also subject to contractual obligations around privacy and confidentiality.

Interpreters do not have a role in making any assessment of the claim or credibility of an application. In reaching a decision in any particular case, the grounds for the decision and the information relied upon is set out in a detailed report from the IPO, which is of course available to the applicant and their lawyer and will be subject to review if appealed.

Any concerns raised about the quality of interpretation services are brought to the attention of the relevant service provider. In addition, there are arrangements in place for interviewers to provide feedback on interpreters, and this is taken into account by the IPO.