I propose to take Questions Nos. 832 and 833 together.
It is a central priority for me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based.
The number of International Protection applications have been rising over the past number of years, reaching 18,500 in 2024. In 2025, application numbers reduced by approximately a third. Year-to-date application numbers in 2026 are around 3,800 and this figure is in line with applications made in the same period in 2025.
In 2025, the International Protection Office (IPO) delivered over 20,200 first instance decisions compared to approximately 14,100 in 2024: a 44% increase. IPAT more than doubled the number of appeals closed from 3,100 in 2024 to nearly 6,300 in 2025.
At the end of 2025 the IPAT had 18,864 cases on hand. There has been a significant increase in investment into the international protection system which, combined with digitisation and process reengineering, has facilitated a major increase in processing capacity and demonstrates a strong commitment to reducing cases on hand.
This resourcing has been particularly evident at IPAT over the past few years with the Tribunal budget increasing by 95% from 2023 to 2025. Administrative staff at IPAT have increased from 37 at the start of 2023 to 86 currently.
My Department, in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service, has also been actively recruiting for additional whole-time and part-time Tribunal Members over the last two years, with three such open competitions having been held in 2024.
Appointments from these competitions have been made throughout 2025 and 2026. The number of whole-time Members increased from 3 at the start of 2025 to 9. The number of part-time Members has increased from 44 at the start of 2025 to 141.
A competition recruiting for full time appeals officers closed on 21 April with a further competition for part time appeal officers to be advertised shortly. These further competitions incorporate requirements for appeals officers for the new appeals body, the Tribunal for Asylum and Returns Appeals (TARA) to be configured under the EU Migration and Asylum Pact.
In addition to measures to improve processing generally, an operational plan between Ireland and the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) has also seen 21 EUAA personnel deployed to support the work being done at IPAT to reduce cases on hand. This work includes preparing appeal files, conducting research on country-of-origin information and international protection jurisprudence. The Operational Plan also includes the EUAA providing interpretation resources in difficult-to-source languages.
As the Deputy will be aware, the International Protection Act was passed into law last week and gives effect to the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. My Department continues to focus preparing for these new rules to take effect on 12 June 2026.
The Pact will provide a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure. This will be achieved through convergence in asylum practices across the EU including standardised processing times for decisions: six months for a standard procedure, three months for accelerated and border procedures and two months for processing applicants who have applied for protection elsewhere in Europe.
Faster processing will mean that applicants spend less time in International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation, and this will significantly reduce the cost of the asylum system to the State. Faster decision-making will also mean that successful applicants will be granted international protection sooner, and those whose applications are refused can be returned to their country of origin sooner.
