Written Answers Nos. 739-758
739. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if there are planned or scheduled deportation flights for the remainder of 2026; the destination countries concerned; the budgetary provision allocated for such operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5907/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is a central priority for me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based. The enforcement aspects of our laws, including deportation orders, are an essential requirement for the system to work effectively and to ensure that there is confidence in the application of our legislation in this area.
Deportations are costly and complex to enforce. It is the preferred option to return people voluntarily and my Department has a voluntary return programme to assist people to return prior to the issuance of a deportation order. A person can only avail of voluntary return before a deportation order is issued and I have increased resources into this programme to enable individuals who wish to return before a deportation order is issued to them.
If a person does not remove themselves from the State following the issuance of a deportation order, they will be removed, and my Department has taken action to significantly improve immigration enforcement measures and increase removals.
The number of deportation orders signed in 2024 (2,403) increased by 180% compared to 2023 (857). In 2025, 4,700 deportation orders were signed, an increase of 96% compared to 2024.
In 2024, 1,122 people departed from the State under various mechanisms (i.e. enforced deportation, voluntary return etc.) In 2025, 2,111 people had their departure confirmed through these pathways, an increase of 88% compared to 2024.
In 2025, six charter flight operations removed 205 people from the State. Of these, five operations to non-EU destinations removed 182 people who were subject to deportation orders and one operation removed 23 EU citizens on grounds of criminality.
The first removal operation of 2026 was conducted last Sunday, 25 January which involved the removal of 17 Polish citizens and 16 Lithuanian citizens on grounds of criminality. Further operations are being planned and will be conducted as the year progresses. For operational reasons it would not be appropriate to reveal details relating to any further operations planned for the remainder of the year.
Charter flight services are provided by Air Partner Ltd under a contract entered into in November 2024. This contract was signed following a competitive and open procurement process.
The potential value of this contract is €5m over the lifespan of the contract. The term of the contract is 3 years with a possibility to extend it twice by one year, a potential lifespan of 5 years in total. The total expenditure under the contract with Air Partner will be based on the number of charter flights provided, the frequency of which will be determined by the operational needs of the State.
740. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way a person (details supplied) can change their postal address on file to facilitate receipt of and signature on their citizenship certificate at the new address. [5911/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that the Deputy has been in contact with my Department's Immigration Oireachtas service regarding the person cited. A response will issue to the Deputy shortly to resolve the matter.
741. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No. 395 of 2 December 2025, for an update on the delays in publishing the report (details supplied); whether the legal advice has been given so that the report can be published, given that it has been with him since July 2025; if he will publish the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5913/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that relevant legal advice has recently been received. My Department is engaging with the Office of the Inspector of Prisons with a view to progressing the publication of the report.
742. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of Irish association applications for naturalisation that have received final decisions since the new guidelines issued in April 2025 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5914/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra745. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his Departments progress to date on the processing times for persons who have Section 16 Citizenship applications via Irish association; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5987/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra746. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the measures undertaken by his Department to reduce the backlog of Section 16 citizenship applications via Irish association, in particular applicants who are waiting three to five years for a decision; and the total number of Section 16 applications completed and a decision reached for 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5988/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra764. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if Irish association applications for citizenship are being processed chronologically; if Irish association applications for citizenship from minors are receiving decisions before adult Irish association applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6393/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 742, 745, 746 and 764 together.
All applications for a certificate of naturalisation are assessed individually in accordance with the provisions of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended.
Section 15 of the Act sets out the statutory conditions that must be fulfilled for a certificate of naturalisation to be granted. Section 16 of the Act gives discretion to waive the statutory conditions in certain circumstances, including where the applicant is of Irish descent or Irish associations (related through blood, affinity or adoption to a person who is, or is entitled to be, an Irish citizen).
I can inform the Deputy that it is not possible to provide statistics on the number of applications and decisions based on Section 16 'Irish Association' for the past four years. This would require the manual examination of thousands of cases. Such an examination would require a disproportionate amount of time to compile. Following the introduction of the new Section 16 guidelines, arrangements to separately record such applications have now been put in place and will allow for the provision of better statistical data in the near future.
Last year my Department published guidelines for applications on the basis of Irish Associations under Section 16(1)(a) of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956. The guidelines provide clarity to both applicants and decision-makers. They set out the factors that may be considered when deciding whether to waive the statutory conditions in certain circumstances, including where the applicant is of Irish descent or Irish associations.
The guidelines have been developed in the interests of fair and transparent procedures and comprehensive decision making. Details of the guidelines are available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/how-to-become-a-citizen/.
Following the publication of the new guidelines, my Department then wrote to over 1,500 people with ongoing Section 16 applications advising them of the recently published guidelines and afforded them an opportunity to provide additional documentation if they wished.
I can advise the Deputy that a significant number of submissions relating to Section 16 'Irish Association' applications have been received, and that decisions on these applications have begun to issue. 190 'Irish Association' decisions have issued since the new guidelines have been introduced of which 138 approvals and 52 were refusals.
Unfortunately, the requested information relating to minor and adult 'Irish Association' applications is not maintained in a way that allows my Department to separate the processing times of minors from adults. Applications made on behalf of minors are not treated as separate to standard adult’s applications and are processed as part of the normal overarching processing structures in Citizenship Division in chronological order. That said, minor applicants are not required to attend Citizenship Ceremonies and as such can receive their naturalisation certificates sooner.
743. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the supports in place for Ukrainian people who have refugee status who came here during the war who are now homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5957/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department currently has sufficient capacity to meet the accommodation needs of people who have fled the war in Ukraine and obtained temporary protection status in accordance with Government policy. Almost 20,000 such individuals are currently in State contracted accommodation with a further 2,640 in modular homes.
With effect from 14 March 2024, a time-bound policy was introduced whereby people arriving after that date from Ukraine with temporary protection status were provided access to 90 days of State provided accommodation if needed. Since 10 November 2025, the timebound limit has been reduced to 30 days for new arrivals from Ukraine.
Persons availing of a place in a designated accommodation centre (DAC) are provided with food, laundry, other services, and integration supports in the DAC. Those persons are entitled to a reduced weekly allowance of €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child in respect of daily expenses. Entitlement to Child Benefit is not affected by this change in policy.
People who do not opt to avail of the offer of accommodation in a DAC or those who have left a DAC are entitled to apply for standard social welfare assistance, if eligible.
The State also supports people fleeing the war in hosted accommodation through the provision of the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) scheme. There are now almost 23,500 active ARP claims in payment in respect of hosting approximately 42,500 people under that scheme.
As outlined, there is a significant level of accommodation options and provision, in addition to related supports for people from Ukraine. Such supports are provided by the State in collaboration with international government organisations, Local Authority Implementation Teams, and communities across the State. This infrastructure and associated supports have proven effective in ensuring accommodation for people from Ukraine and providing intervention in cases where vulnerabilities may exist.
744. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the supports that are in place for people who have left the IPAS system and now find themselves homeless. [5958/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder Irish and EU law, people applying for international protection are entitled to basic supports, including IPAS accommodation, for the duration of their application.
The IPAS system is accommodating over 33,000 people at this time, and over 9,700 are children. About 5,000 of these residents are people who have completed their asylum application and have been granted status to remain in Ireland.
The IPAS system has operated under extreme pressure and ongoing shortages of suitable accommodation since 2022, due to sudden and sustained increases in applications.
People may have left the IPAS accommodation system, and may find themselves homeless as outlined in the question, in different categories or circumstances with supports available based on their status and eligibility.
If a person is a current applicant for international protection, they do not have access to standard housing or social welfare benefits in Ireland.
If a person has completed their application and has been granted status to remain in Ireland, they do have access to social welfare and to housing services.
Most people who apply for international protection take up the offer of IPAS accommodation, but this is not mandatory and some may choose to source accommodation separately. If a person who is a current applicant for international protection, and staying outside the IPAS system, were to become homeless, they do not have access to standard housing services, including local authority emergency homeless accommodation. As such, they can make contact with IPAS and enquire about gaining access to accommodation if it is available.
Due to shortages of single male accommodation capacity, IPAS is not able to make an offer of accommodation to all single male applicants on arrival. People not offered accommodation are given an additional weekly payment. Most people in this group are not rough-sleeping but IPAS organises daily outreach for those who are, and makes offers of accommodation to them. At the moment, 453 people are awaiting an offer of accommodation from IPAS and will continue to do this, depending on availability of accommodation.
People in this group, as international protection applicants, cannot access standard social welfare or housing services, including local authority emergency accommodation.
People who have been granted international protection or status that allows them to remain in Ireland also gain access to social welfare and housing services. However, some people in this group remain in IPAS accommodation for a time, often due to challenges sourcing accommodation in the community. About 15% of IPAS accommodation relates to people and families with status.
There is a need for people with status to transition to living independently in our communities, improving their integration into our society while also creating space within IPAS accommodation for newer arrivals.
IPAS has a transition team who work in collaboration with DePaul Ireland, the Peter McVerry Trust, officials in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Local Authorities and the City and County Managers Association to collectively support residents with status, or a permission to remain, to exit IPAS accommodation and access housing options.
IPAS will continue to provide emergency accommodation to people with status, if they cannot find accommodation in the community with these supports. About 4,000 people with status successfully transitioned out of IPAS accommodation in 2025.
It is essential that IPAS maintains enough accommodation to meet the needs of new applicants, who have a legal entitlement to IPAS accommodation, do not have immediate access to the labour market, and do not have access to standard housing benefits or standard social welfare entitlements.
747. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will review the operation of the High Court fee regime under S.I. No. 492 of 2014, in particular the requirement for citizens to pay court stamp fees when initiating proceedings whose primary purpose is the protection or vindication of constitutional rights other than applications under Article 40.4; and if he will consider amending the fees order under section 65 of the Courts of Justice Act 1936 (as amended) to ensure that individuals seeking to enforce fundamental rights are not impeded by financial barriers. [6039/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMatters in regard to court fees are set by Statutory Instrument made by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
The court fee structures currently in place are designed to be proportionate and balanced to ensure continued access to justice, while supporting appropriate contribution to the efficient running of the court system overall.
The current fees system reflects the need to ensure the interests of applicants, as well as considering the public interest in the smooth operation of the court system. This balance of interests, as well as applicable administrative considerations, is evident in the extensive range of existing exemptions from court fees already in place, in regard to specific categories of proceedings and by some State bodies.
Matters arising in relation to court fees are kept under consideration by my Department, as appropriate. I can confirm that S.I. No. 492/2014 (Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court (Fees) Order 2014) is currently under review with a view to revising a number of its provisions to resolve an issue which has arisen as a result of a recent High Court judgement regarding the exemption for habeas corpus actions and to provide for an exemption for Qualified Entities under the Representative Actions for the Protection of the Collective Interests of Consumers Act 2023.
It should also be noted that in accordance with, and subject to, Part 11 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, parties who are entirely successful in civil proceedings are entitled to their costs.
748. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons charged in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026 for driving without motor insurance; and the number of cases struck out in respect of driving without motor insurance over that time period, by district court, in tabular form. [6106/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the interest of transparency, An Garda Síochána publishes figures on their website on roads policing offences by Garda Division. This includes a divisional breakdown of incidents where a vehicle was detained under Section 41 of the Roads Traffic Act 1994 from a driver without an approved insurance policy.
This can be found at the following link:www.garda.ie/en/roads-policing/statistics/roads%20policing%20offences%20by%20region%20and%20division/.
The collation of data on cases before the courts is a function of the Courts Service.
To be of assistance, I have referred your question to the Courts Service for their direct reply. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie.
749. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total cost to date of the Victims Charter advertising campaign which is currently under way on television; to clarify that the Charter applies to Irish citizens as well as foreign nationals; and the reason eight of the nine actors who feature in the television advertisements for the campaign appear to be foreign nationals or from an ethnic minority. [6149/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn recent years, my Department has worked on a number of initiatives to support victims of crime. When victims of crime begin to engage with the judicial system, they should know what to expect, what their legally enforceable rights are, and the supports available at every step in the process.
These initiatives have included;
• The publication of a new Victims Charter in English and Irish and an ongoing commitment to regularly update the text which sets out exactly what rights victims have;
• An improved website for the Victims Charter website, which was last year awarded the ‘plain English’ certificate by the National Adult Literary Agency, as part of ongoing efforts to improve accessibility; and
• The development and hosting of a Victims Forum that brings together civic society organisations and State organisations, to discuss matters such as best practices and innovation in service delivery to victims
The ‘Victims of Crime – Know Your Rights’ campaign is a significant part of this overall work, using a high impact media strategy to reach both a national audience and also people within marginalised communities throughout the country. The campaign fulfils actions and commitments made by my Department raise awareness of victims’ rights in both the ‘Supporting a Victims Journey’ plan, published in 2021 and ‘Zero Tolerance’ - The Third National Strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, launched in 2022. The campaign, which has run across television, local and national radio, OOH, digital, print and social media, directs people to the VictimsCharter.ie website where they can learn more about their rights.
Two TV adverts – ‘Diversity’ and ‘Translations’ – form the centrepiece of the campaign. 'Diversity' focuses on community inclusivity with marginalised cohorts, people with a disability, the Travelling Community, and older generations are represented on screen. ‘Translations' is focused on ethnicity and migrant communities. In this version, text from the Victims Charter is translated into various languages including Polish, Mandarin, French, Lithuanian, Arabic and Portuguese.
As the Deputy notes, the campaign is currently running across all media. The total media related costs for this rollout, across November 2025 and January 2026, are €305,074.
750. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of serving members of An Garda Síochána have been promoted after being formally charged with or convicted of an offence under section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 or under the Domestic Violence Act since 2015. [6120/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt the outset it is important to note that the vast majority of Garda members serve with integrity and distinction.
Of course for the public to have absolute confidence in a police service, they must have faith that when the law is broken by those who are responsible for upholding it, the same treatment will apply to those who wear the uniform as those who don’t.
I would like to assure the Deputy that this is the case. Furthermore the Deputy may be interested to note that An Garda Síochána provide monthly figures in their report to the Policing and Community Safety Authority on the number of Gardaí who are currently suspended, along with a breakdown of the reason behind that suspension.
These reports are published on the Garda website at the link below:
[Commissioner's Monthly Reports to Policing and Community Safety Authority - Garda] www.garda.ie/en/about-us/publications/general-reports/commissioner-s-monthly-reports-to-policing-and-community-safety-authority/.
www.garda.ie/en/about-us/publications/general-reports/commissioner-s-monthly-reports-to-policing-and-community-safety-authority/
Matters relating to the internal discipline of the Garda organisation, and whether disciplinary action should be taken against Gardaí are solely the responsibility of the Commissioner. As Minister, I play no role in these independent functions.
I am informed by Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána do not retain a central record on the number of serving Gardaí who have been promoted after being formally charged with or convicted of an offence under section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 or under the Domestic Violence Act since 2015. However I am also informed that charges or convictions arising from these offences are factors that would be considered as part of any disciplinary process undertaken.
The Deputy may also wish to note that significant reforms have been introduced to An Garda Síochána in recent years. A review into how domestic violence investigations against Gardaí are conducted was undertaken and the outcome of this work has been fed into An Garda Síochána’s Domestic Abuse Intervention Policy and has informed changes to investigative procedures and training.
751. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the position regarding a school (details supplied), which has been funded to date by the immigrant investment scheme; the way in which this school can be brought to completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70772/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt the outset, it is important to note that, as Minister, I do not comment on individual Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) applications.
I can advise you that further details concerning the processing of outstanding IIP applications is published on the Immigration Service website of my Department, including an FAQ document. Both can be accessed at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/processing-of-iip-applications-on-hand-following-the-closure-of-the-programme/
If a project owner has any queries, they can contact the IIP Unit of my Department directly.
752. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department plans to increase processing capacity to address the current volume of Join Family visa applications, with a view to reducing the significant waiting times being experienced by applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6217/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that my Department currently operates seven overseas Visa Offices in addition to the Visa Office in Dublin. These are located in Abuja, Beijing, London, Moscow, Ankara, Abu Dhabi and New Delhi. In addition, staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade process certain visa applications in Irish Embassies abroad under delegated authority from my Department.
I can assure the Deputy that while processing times can vary across the different Visa Offices and Irish Embassies, the majority of visas are processed within stated target times. However, some applications can take considerably longer. Processing times for all applications are influenced by a number of factors. The time it can take varies depending on the type and complexity of application; individual circumstances; peak application periods; such as holidays or the start of the school year; and, crucially, the quality and completeness of the application lodged. Verifying an application is an important part of our immigration system and the checks involved can take time to complete.
The current processing times of applications for “join family” visas varies depending on the circumstances when the application is made. If a non-EEA national is moving to Ireland because they have been granted a Critical Skills Employment Permit, they can apply for “join family” visas at the same time as their own employment visa. When these visas are applied for together, they are processed in tandem and typically receive a first instance decision within the 10-12 week business target.
People who make a “join family” visa applications separately from the above process, and for those here on General Employment Permits, they will generally receive a first instance decision within the 12 month business target.
In 2025, approximately 206,000 visa applications, of all types, were received by the Visa Division of my Department. This reflects an increase of 2% compared to 2024, with over 3,900 additional applications received. This follows a 21% increase in applications in 2024 compared to 2023. My officials are working to meet the increased level of demand, and over 8,700 additional visa decisions have issued in 2025, compared to 2024.
Processing times and decisions at the Dublin Visa Office and the Overseas Visa Offices can be checked at the following link:
www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions/
In December 2025, the Immigration Service of my Department introduced online payment functionality to my Department's online visa system. This allows applicants to pay visa fees as part of the online application process. The initiative is being rolled out on a phased basis, initially with 39 countries. This reduces the administrative burden on Irish Missions and visa teams, and allows visa officers to dedicate more time to core application processing and decision-making, contributing to improved processing efficiency over time.
753. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of fixed-penalty notices issued and the number of non-compliant e-scooters seized in the year 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6218/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraOur road safety strategy takes a whole of government approach and is a shared responsibility. Development and implementation of road traffic legislation and policy falls within the remit of my colleague Darragh O'Brien TD, the Minister for Transport, and the vital role of enforcing road traffic laws is carried out by An Garda Síochána.
Gardaí have significant legislative powers to combat antisocial and dangerous use of e-scooters including under the Road Traffic Act 1961, the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, and the Criminal Law Act 1997.
In June 2023, the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 was signed into law. The Act included provisions that aim to tackle the anti-social use of these vehicles through measures such as granting An Garda Síochána new powers of seizure. Dangerous driving is now an offence in any location under the Act, not just on public roads.
The table below outlines the number of Fixed Charge Notices issued for e-scooter related offences in 2025 and the number of e-scooters seized or detained in 2025.
|
Fixed Charge Notices issued for e-scooter related offences |
958 |
|
e-scooters seized or detained |
817 |
These figures are based on incidents which occurred from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025, inclusive. Figures for ‘seized or detained’ above are for those vehicles seized or detained under the incident types of ‘Vehicle Detained’, ‘Vehicle Detained Under Sec 41’ and ‘Property Seized'.
All information above is based upon operational data from the Fixed Charge Processing System and PULSE system as was available on 22 January 2026 and is liable to change.
754. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the plans to progress legislation creating a specific offence for assaults or abuse against retail workers, in light of increasing reports of threats and verbal abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6219/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government takes any risk to retailers and retail staff very seriously. I am acutely aware of the personal and economic impact that retail crime is having on businesses, shop workers, and communities. I recognise that shoplifting and organised retail crime pose a significant threat to the economic welfare of Irish retailers and that retail theft is not a victimless crime.
The Programme for Government makes a number of commitments in relation to retail crime, many of which are being examined in the context of the Retail Crime Strategy.
These include:
• Support Garda Operations to tackle retail crime including through the use of organised crime and proceeds of crime legislation.
• Examine the introduction of a specific offence of assaulting a retail worker.
• Tackle the practice of “retail defamation”.
• Improve data sharing between retailers and Gardaí.
• Introduce a new grant scheme for anti-theft and prevention measures.
• Expand the use of community sanctions for retail crime.
• Update the Public Order Acts to allow a prolific offender to be excluded from a retail premises for a certain period of time.
I would note that there is specific legislation already in place to deal with assaults. In the case of assault causing serious harm, an offender can be prosecuted under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 which deals comprehensively with a wide range of assault provisions, the more serious of which carry heavy penalties. That Act provides for penalties of up to 10 years in prison for an offence of assault causing harm and for a penalty of life imprisonment for an offence of causing serious harm. This general law relating to assault has application to all citizens, including retail workers.
In May 2025, I met with the Retail Forum and heard from members regarding their experiences of retail crime and how it can inform work on the Retail Crime Strategy. In October 2025, my Department organised a targeted stakeholder engagement event with members of the Retail Forum on the Retail Crime Strategy. This event centred on discussions around what the strategy may contain and provided an opportunity for stakeholders to inform the ongoing development of the strategy. My officials are considering their suggestions and I plan to finalise the strategy in the coming months.
755. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current average processing times for visa, residence and international protection applications; the steps being taken to meet his Department’s digitisation and efficiency goals under the Statement of Strategy 2025–2028; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6222/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is a central priority for Minister Callaghan and me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based.
Visa and preclearance applications provide legal avenues for people moving to Ireland for employment, study and family reasons and also to facilitate visitors who wish to travel for business and/or tourism. These are important screening processes, designed to establish that a person has a legitimate reason to come to Ireland prior to travel. Verifying an application is an important part of our immigration system. Each visa application is assessed on its own merits, taking all relevant information into consideration at that time.
I can assure the Deputy that while processing times can vary across the different Visa Offices and Irish Embassies, the majority of visas are processed within stated target times. However, some applications can take considerably longer. Processing times for all applications are influenced by a number of factors. The time it can take varies depending on the type and complexity of application; individual circumstances; peak application periods; such as holidays or the start of the school year; and, crucially, the quality and completeness of the application lodged. Verifying an application is an important part of our immigration system and the checks involved can take time to complete.
In 2025, approximately 206,000 visa applications, of all types, were received by the Visa Division of my Department. This reflects an increase of 2% compared to 2024, with over 3,900 additional applications received. This follows a 21% increase in applications in 2024 compared to 2023. My officials are working to meet the increased level of demand, and over 8,700 additional visa decisions have issued in 2025, compared to 2024.
Processing times and decisions at the Dublin Visa Office and the Overseas Visa Offices can be checked at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions/
In December 2025, the Immigration Service of my Department introduced online payment functionality to my Department's online visa system. This allows applicants to pay visa fees as part of the online application process. The initiative is being rolled out on a phased basis, initially with 39 countries. This reduces the administrative burden on Irish Missions and visa teams, and allows visa officers to dedicate more time to core application processing and decision-making, contributing to improved processing efficiency over time.
This initiative directly supports key commitments in the Statement of Strategy, particularly in accelerating the digital transformation of customer-facing services and enhancing the customer journey through more accessible, end-to-end online processes. Online Payments is one of a number of projects being rolled out by Visa Division under a programme to enhance the visa application processing system.
As part of this work, phase one of my Department's Immigration Customer Service Portal (CSP) went live in October 2024. The CSP is a self-service portal that enables applicants to check their immigration application status, book first-time registration appointments, and submit queries.
My Department is committed to providing the best possible service to applicants and a centralised applicant support team is in place comprising of over 20 staff to support this. Since the CSP went live more than 250,000 people have registered with the system, 127,000 appointments have been booked successfully and 210,000 customer queries have been resolved.
Work is ongoing to continuously improve the services offered by the CSP and my Department remains committed to providing the best possible service to applicants and service users.
In relation to first-time registrations and renewals of permissions, the Registration Office of my Department is currently experiencing an exceptionally high demand for first time registration appointments and are aware that appointment availability is severely limited.
I understand that the extended wait times to secure an appointment can be frustrating for applicants. I can assure the Deputy that my Department is doing everything possible to facilitate as many customers as possible.
New appointment slots are being released on a rolling 90-day basis, with additional slots being made available where capacity is identified and as any cancellations/reschedules are made. The Registration Office has also extended opening hours and are now open seven days a week to meet this demand. I expect that further measures to increase the availability of appointments will be put in place in the coming weeks.
The Registration Office within Immigration Service Delivery of my Department provide a live processing date, which is updated every Monday, and is available at the following link:
www.irishimmigration.ie/registering-your-immigration-permission/how-to-renew-your-current-permission/renewing-your-registration-permission-if-you-live-in-the-republic-of-ireland/#processing
The office is currently processing applications submitted from 5 November 2025. Customers may submit their renewal application up to 12 weeks prior to expiry of their permission to allow sufficient time for an application to be reached, and processed, prior to their current permission expiring.
If an application is approved, it may take up to a further 15 business days to receive the new Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card by post.
My Department's Immigration Service Registration Office has also issued a notice to employers regarding the legality of employing someone awaiting renewal. This notice can be found here:
www.irishimmigration.ie/notice-to-employers-regarding-employees-awaiting-renewal-of-their-irp-card/
If an employee’s IRP card has expired and they are unable to obtain a new one by the expiry date of their current IRP card, they are still legally permitted to remain in the State on their existing IRP card for a maximum of 12 weeks. This 12 week provision is subject to the employee providing proof that they have applied to renew their permission, including when changing stamp category, prior to their current IRP card expiring.
Insofar as the processing of international protection applications is concerned, 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.
In 2025, the International Protection Office (IPO) delivered over 20,200 first decisions compared to approximately 14,100 in 2024 resulting in a 44% increase. The International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) more than doubled the number of appeals closed from 3,100 in 2024 to nearly 6,300 in 2025.
In 2025 the median processing time for IPO first instance decisions was 14 months (Accelerated cases were processed in four months, while standard cases were processed in 16 months).
In 2025 the median processing time for appeals at the IPAT was 12.5 months.
Ireland has opted in to the EU Asylum and Migration Pact which will come into effect in June this year. The Pact will provide a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure. This will be achieved through convergence in asylum practices across the EU, and through the introduction of streamlined and faster processing times.
756. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the progress which has been made in implementing the Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Statement of Strategy 2025–2028, specifically regarding recruitment of additional Gardaí and expansion of prison capacity; the way progress will be measured and reported to the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6223/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's Statement of Strategy 2025-2028 lists 6 goals, each of which contains several key objectives that contribute towards that goal. The Strategy will guide the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for the next three years. Delivery will be planned and monitored through annual statements of priorities that will be published and which will inform business planning across the organisation. Progress will be monitored in the Department’s annual report. Key indicators will be developed and published to measure against outcomes.
The second of these goals is to support safe communities by strengthening law enforcement capabilities, providing for effective sanctions, and tackling the causes of crime. Two of the objectives listed under this goal are as follows:
• A well-resourced policing service, with the tools, powers and technology needed to keep people safe, supported by effective governance and accountability through the further implementation of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act
• A comprehensive response to ensuring adequate, humane space in our prisons, with alternative sanctions and a strong focus on rehabilitation in place.
Getting more Gardaí on our streets to prevent and detect crime remains my priority as Minister. This Government is fully committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs, with Budget 2026 providing unprecedented funding of €2.74 billion to support recruitment, training and staffing.
At the end of November 2025, the latest date for which figures are available, the total Garda workforce stood at over 18,200, which included 14,462 Gardaí, 3,486 Garda Staff, and 308 Reserves.
Recruitment into An Garda Síochána is now gathering real momentum and interest in a career as a Garda remains high, with over 11,000 applications received last year across two recruitment campaigns. Overall, I am informed by the Garda authorities that just under 800 trainees entered the Garda College in 2025, the highest number since 2018.
This demonstrates that there is a strong and sustained interest in a career as a Garda amongst the public and further recruitment competitions will be run to ensure that there is a steady pipeline of new recruits ready to enter the Garda College.
It is expected that there will be four intakes to the Garda College in 2026 and intake numbers will also be supported by ongoing capacity expansion works at the College.
Regarding prison capacity, I can advise the Deputy that over 440 prison spaces have been constructed since 2022, with the majority of these already in use and the rest due to be in use shortly. On conclusion of the National Development Programme Review in July, there was a record capital investment of €67.9 million agreed for 2026, as part of a total investment of €527 million from 2026 to 2030. €495 million will be invested in building projects to deliver on a plan with an overall target of delivering over 1,500 spaces by 2031.
This will be the largest ever building programme in the prison estate and will include a large extension to the existing Cork Prison on the site of the old decommissioned Cork Prison. The programme will include a new block in Wheatfield, an additional block extension at Midlands prison, as well as additional spaces at Castlerea, Mountjoy, Cloverhill, Portlaoise, Limerick and Dóchas. Design, planning and approvals have also commenced for a number of these projects. It will also fund planning and commencement of the construction of a new prison at the Thornton site in North County Dublin.
757. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No’s 749 and 750 of 20 January 2026, if he has published the DPIA; if he will confirm whether the regulator was consulted; if he will clarify whether subjects informed; if he will provide this Deputy with the terms of reference of the pilot; and if he will provide the key performance metrics and whether they have been met. [6252/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn line with public procurement and AI governance guidelines, my Department undertook a comprehensive risk assessment process as part of the deployment of the Digital Contact Centre (DCC). This included a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA).
The DPIA assessment concluded that the processing of data did not present a high risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals and, accordingly consultation with the Data Protection Commission was not required. It is not standard practice to publish DPIAs.
The DCC project was not undertaken as a pilot. The performance of this project has delivered a number of benefits including the ability for applicants to view the status of their applications, book and amend appointments and access to 24/7 customer support through the chatbot.
Users are clearly informed that they are interacting with an AI system and can speak to a member of the customer service team at any stage of the process. My Department is committed to being transparent and upfront with end-users when AI system are used. This includes notifying end-users when they are interacting with the chatbot, in line with the AI Act.
My Department complies with the “Guidelines for the Responsible Use of AI in the Public Service” issued by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and also with guidance issued to all Government departments by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in relation to the cyber security.
My Department continues to assess the opportunities presented by all digital tools, including AI, to improve the delivery, security, efficiency, and accessibility of services to our customers. Approval for adoption of any new tools or solutions is subject to appropriate governance processes, including risk assessment.
