Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2026
527. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of international protection applications determined at first instance in each year from 2020 to date in 2026; and the number and percentage refused in each year. [52967/26]
View answer528. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of applicants refused international protection at first instance who subsequently secured refugee status, subsidiary protection or permission to remain on appeal in each year from 2020 to date in 2026. [52968/26]
View answer529. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of applicants from designated safe countries of origin who were granted international protection or permission to remain in each year from 2020 to date in 2026, by nationality. [52969/26]
View answer530. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of appeal or review stages available to an applicant following a negative international protection decision; and the average time taken at each stage for each of the past five years, in tabular form. [52970/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 527 to 530, inclusive, together.
Under the International Protection Act 2015, an applicant makes only one application under the single procedure. All grounds for seeking international protection (refugee status and subsidiary protection) as well as permission to remain are determined in this one process. This is known as a first-instance decision, or first-instance recommendation.
The International Protection Office (IPO) makes first instance recommendations in respect of international protection (refugee status and subsidiary protection) as well as decisions on permission to remain.
All applicants refused international protection have a right to appeal to the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) who must then consider if the earlier International Protection Office (IPO) determinations on refugee status and subsidiary protection should be affirmed (refused) or set aside (granted).
Applicants who have had their appeal for international protection refused are entitled to submit a request to review their permission to remain to the IPO where their circumstances have changed since their first instance recommendation.
If successful, they will be granted permission to remain in Ireland. If the permission to remain review is refused the persons may have the option of voluntary return, which if not accepted will in the normal course lead to the making of a deportation order. The only barrier to that course of action is the provisions of section 50 of the International Protection Act 2015 on the prohibition of refoulement.
The International Protection Act 2026 was passed into law last month and gives effect to the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. The new rules will take effect on 12 June 2026 and my Department continues to prepare in advance of this date.
Under the Pact examinations to determine whether a person qualifies as a refugee or is eligible for subsidiary protection will be conducted by the determining authority, the International Protection Office (IPO) and the new appeals body, the Tribunal for Asylum and Returns Appeals (TARA), the appellate body under the 2026 Act IP Bill 2026 to determine appeals arising post 12 June 2026. The International Protection Appeals Tribunal will continue in existence to hear appeals relating to applications under the International Protection Act 2015.
A number of tables are set out at the following link. The table below shows all first instance decisions for international protection under the 2015 Act from 2020 to 8 July 2026. Please note that there is not a direct correlation between the year and application was made and the year the decision issued.
The table below shows first instance decisions for international protection under the 2015 Act where the applicant was from a safe country of origin covering the period from 2020 to 8 July 2026. Data broken down by nationality is not available.
The table below shows all the decisions made by the International Protection Appeals Tribunal from 2020 to 8 July 2026.
The table below shows the number of appeals withdrawn/ deemed withdrawn from 2020 to 8 July 2026.
The table below shows processing times for appeals to IPAT from 2020 to 8 July 2026.
Please note, all figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.
