Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

380. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 268 of 9 October 2025, if the information regarding the current average duration of employment of staff in each of the agencies involved in the end-to-end asylum process; the current number of vacancies in each of the agencies involved in the end-to-end asylum process, in tabular form is now available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62643/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It is a central priority for me that our immigration system is robust and enforced.

There has been significant investment in staff across the entire international protection process in recent years.

As of 9 October 2025, the International Protection Office (IPO) had 614 staff, an increase of 190% since 2022 with recruitment ongoing. In addition, 241 case processing panel members were also contracted by the IPO.

There has also been a substantial increase in resourcing to IPAT through both its budget and staffing. This has been particularly evident in the past two years with the Tribunal budget having increased by 95% since 2023.

My Department has been actively recruiting for additional whole-time and part-time Tribunal Members over the last two years, with the competitive stages of the most recent competitions concluding recently. As of 9 October 2025 the Department had appointed new Tribunal Members increasing the number of whole-time members from 3 to 8 and part-time members from 88 to 134. During the course of the year there have also been some members who have resigned.

The number of administrative staff at the Tribunal also increased from 37 at the start of 2023 to 87 on 9 October 2025. In addition to administrative staff, IPAT has a Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, 8 Whole-Time Tribunal members, 2 Senior Legal Researchers and a Legal Researcher.

The International Protection and Integration Division (IPID) of my Department provides accommodation in over 320 centres around the country. From 2022 to 2024, this demand-led system had to grow rapidly, as a result of a sudden and sustained increase in people applying for international protection. The increase in the demand for services was accompanied by a corresponding growth in the number of staff members.

Recruitment and appointments are continuing across all three of the above functions. The IPO has seen a dramatic increase in staff in recent years and staffing levels there will be kept under review having regard to trends in application numbers and requirements across the international protection process.

As of 9th October, there were currently 25 positions to be filled in the IPAT and 12 vacancies in the IPID.

Of the 25 vacancies associated with the IPAT, 22 relate to sanctioned positions for Whole Time Tribunal Members. Some of these appointments will be made from the most recent Whole Time Tribunal Member competitions with further recruitment for the other positions planned.

The table below details the current tenure at the IPO, IPAT and IPID at 9 October 2025.

All data provided is correct at time of issue and may be subject to data cleansing.