It is a central priority for me that our international protection and immigration systems are robust and enforced.
Under Section 15(1) of the International Protection Act 2015, a person who wishes to make a claim for international protection in Ireland must be at the frontier of the State or already be present in the State.
The immigration history of individuals who apply for International Protection are noted as part of the application process; this will include information related to the manner in which they entered the State. While this information is recorded as part of an individual application for protection, this data is not managed in a format that would make it readily accessible.
In preparation for the implementation for the EU Migration Pact in the second half of 2026, new arrangements for data collation and reporting are being put in place; this will include enhanced reporting capabilities in relation to matters such as prior immigration history.