Despite efforts made by the government to expedite the international protection application process, over 21,000 applicants are still awaiting an initial decision, according to official statistics. Almost 100 of these applicants have been in the queue for more than two years. Addressing a query from Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara, Justice Minister Helen McEntee acknowledged that, as of 30th April, there were 21,577 applicants awaiting their first response from the International Protection Office (IPO).
Ms McEntee revealed that less than two years had passed for 21,080 applicants within the system, with about 70 per cent (15,000 individuals) waiting for less than one year for a verdict. As of the end of April, the Minister confirmed that a total of 5,087 appeals had been logged with IPO, challenging unfavourable initial determinations.
About two years ago, an accelerated process was employed for dealing with applications from designated safe countries, with decisions intended to be delivered within a three-month period. Regardless of Nigeria not being classified as safe, the nation was added to the list, as a new ruling dictated that the country with the highest volume of claimants would be included in the speeded-up process. So far this year, around 2,000 Nigerians, accounting for a third of all applicants, have requested international protection.
The updated list of safe nations comprises Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Georgia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and South Africa. Following the launch of the fast-track system, significant reductions were noted in applications from Georgia and Albania.
In another development, over a span of eight days between last year and this year, 50 individuals who had illicitly crossed the border from Northern Ireland were denied entry during two operations led by the gardaí.
Between 9th and 13th October, a checkpoint was carried out on the M1 motorway by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). The operation focused on buses commuting between Belfast and Dublin, leading to the discovery of 25 individuals, consisting of 22 adults and three minors, who were crossing into the State without the required visas or identification documents.
These individuals were subsequently sent back to the UK. They travelled by ferry from Dublin to Holyhead. During this operation, two individuals were detained and faced charges related to aiding in illegal State entry.
Furthermore, in February, over the course of four isolated days, another operation was executed. This time, GNIB officers stopped a total of 47 buses heading southbound towards Dublin, and all passengers onboard underwent immigration checks. This operation resulted in the detection of 25 individuals entering the State without the necessary travel documents or visas. Consequently, all of them were denied permission to enter the State and were sent back to the UK, 19 by ferry to Holyhead and six by train to Belfast.
These operations were part of the ongoing Operation Sonnet, a cooperative endeavour between the GNIB and the Immigration Enforcement Team in Northern Ireland. This information has been disclosed in the monthly reports submitted to the Policing Authority by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.
The Department of Social Protection informed the Public Accounts Committee in January that approximately 80,000 Ukrainians, including children, are presently residing in the State as temporary refugees. Around 17,000 are employed while the remaining 63,000 are benefiting from social welfare, child benefits or participating in employment schemes. Women and children constitute a significant proportion of these refugees.