Peadar Tóibín
Ceist:225. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons who have failed the asylum process at each step for each of the past five years. [10616/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 11 February 2026
Ceisteanna (225)
Freagraí scríofa
I am fully committed to ensuring that Ireland’s International Protection system is robust, and rules based, and that our borders are protected.
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.
There has been a significantly increased investment into the international protection system to improve efficiencies and throughput as well as enhancing the application, interview and decision-making process for applicants.
In 2025, the International Protection Office (IPO) delivered over 20,200 first decisions compared to approximately 14,100 in 2024, 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.
My Department continues to focus on preparing for the EU Migration and Asylum Pact in advance of 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.
The new International Protection Bill 2026 will give effect to the measures of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. Enactment of the Bill and commencement of the Act is required by 12 June 2026.
The table below provides a yearly breakdown of IP applications made from 2021 to 8 February 2026.
|
Year of Application |
Total |
|
2021 |
2,647 |
|
2022 |
13,643 |
|
2023 |
13,271 |
|
2024 |
18,553 |
|
2025 |
13,160 |
|
2026* |
1,381 |
*To 8 February.
The table below shows all international protection first instance decisions made from 2021 to 8 February 2026 broken down by those granted either Refugee Status (RS), Subsidiary Protection (SP) or Permission to Remain (PTR) and those refused. Please note that there is not a direct correlation between the year an application was made and the year the decision issued.
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 or set aside.
The table below details International Protection appeal decisions from 2021 to 8 February 2026.
The table below shows applications to IPAT that were either withdrawn or deemed withdrawn from 2021 to 8 February 2026.
|
Year |
Withdrawn/Deemed Withdrawn |
|
2021 |
148 |
|
2022 |
266 |
|
2023 |
113 |
|
2024 |
211 |
|
2025 |
511 |
|
2026* |
35 |
*To 8 February.
Please note, all figures are correct at time of issue, however, all statistics may be subject to data cleansing.