As untruths spread online, we took a closer look at the available asylum seeker and refugee statistics.
The most common myths related to asylum seekers include: “They are all here illegally,” “Ireland takes in more refugees than any other EU member state,” and “They are subject to rigorous vetting.” There is an argument that “it is not.”
Here, we delve into the facts about international protection applicants to dispel many misconceptions.
What is the difference between an asylum seeker and a refugee? Is there a difference between an applicant for international protection and a refugee?
An asylum seeker is someone who has applied to become a refugee.
Although the term is different from international protection applicant, it refers to the same situation.
A refugee is someone who has to leave their country of origin because of a “well-founded fear of persecution for reasons such as race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.” It is a person who
Ireland is a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which obligates the country to provide protection to people who have fled their country for the reasons listed above. Refugees have the right (within certain criteria) to apply for ‘family reunification’ to bring their next of kin to Ireland.
Who comes to the country?
According to statistics, a total of 13,227 people sought international protection in the state last year, a decrease of 400 from the previous year. This figure does not include the 102,000 Ukrainians who have fled to Ireland since Russia invaded their homeland in February 2022.
The EU Temporary Protection Directive was activated by the Council of the European Union in March 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The process of granting temporary protection in Ireland to people fleeing war is entirely separate from international protection.
Where do international protection applicants arriving in Ireland come from?
According to last year’s figures, there were 13,277 applicants for international protection, of which 2,084 (15.7% of the total) came from Nigeria and 1,462 (11% of the total) from Algeria. Meanwhile, 1,106 people came from Afghanistan, 1,098 from Somalia (8.3% each), and 1,065 from Georgia (8%). The remaining 6,462 (48.7%) came from other locations.
What is the breakdown of male, female, and child applicants?
Last year, 6,983 adult men and 3,393 adult women entered the country. There were 1,526 male minors and 1,364 female minors. A total of 11 people were infected, 10 adults and one minor.
Arrival trend: September to December 2023
In September, 621 single men, 169 single women, 66 couples, and 375 families arrived. In October, 690 single men, 231 single women, 76 couples, and 385 families arrived.
In November, 593 single men, 192 single women, 120 couples, and 472 families arrived. In December, 676 single men, 248 single women, 312 couples, and 501 families arrived.
By the end of December, 44% of International Protected Accommodation Service (IPAS) residents here were single men (11,469 people), 13% were single women (3,376 people) and 43% were families with children and couples (11,434 people). there were.
What happens when international protection applicants arrive here?
All people seeking international protection in Ireland register with the country at the port of arrival.
They are also registered with the International Protection Office (IPO) and gardaí, which handle asylum claims. They will go through a detailed screening and interview process as part of their application. The state investigates the details of their past lives.
Where do states house applicants for international protection?
Ireland currently hosts more than 100,000 people between people fleeing Ukraine and international protection (IP) applicants. This includes more than 74,000 Ukrainians who have sought accommodation in the country and more than 26,000 IP applicants currently in IPAS accommodation.
The types of accommodation managed or provided by the Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) include hotels, B&Bs and hostels, as well as rest center facilities (often in conjunction with local authorities). , and quick accommodations. Architectural or modular accommodation.
We currently offer tented accommodation in 346 IPAs. There are currently around 600 IP applicants who have not been offered accommodation by the state since arriving in Ireland.
Population and occupancy breakdown by county
In the period to December 2023, 35.4% of IPAS occupancy was in Dublin.
The next county with the highest proportion was Donegal (6.4%), followed by Cork (5.9%). The county with the lowest IPAS occupancy was Leitrim (0.34%), followed by Longford (0.54%) and Kilkenny (0.57%). .
How are IP applicants accepted and do they automatically get housing?
Applicants do not have the right to move into public housing or be placed on a public housing waiting list. If you don’t have the money to borrow, accommodation will be provided.
This is often referred to as direct provision. In recent years, this accommodation has included emergency accommodation such as office blocks, hotels, convention center halls, and tents.
In January last year, the government announced that accommodation for some adults may no longer be possible. After a protection application has been considered, if someone is recognized as a refugee and needs housing, they must apply to be placed on a public housing waiting list. They don’t have priority access to the list and have the same wait times as everyone else.
What are their rights? What social services are available to them? When can they work?
Asylum seekers are not entitled to social welfare support. They are means-tested and receive a payment called a daily allowance (DEA) if they are unable to live independently.
Adults in asylum proceedings under the DEA receive 38.80 euros per week (5.54 euros per day). A child he receives 29.90 euros. These rates last changed in 2018. Child asylum seekers do not receive child allowances. IP applicants can apply for exceptional needs payments for items such as clothing. You may also receive an allowance for back-to-school clothing and footwear.
If there is no decision on your refugee claim within six months of your application, you can apply for a work permit. A work permit is issued for a period of 12 months and must be renewed at regular intervals.
How long does it take to process an international protection application?
According to the Department of Justice, the median processing time for trial court decisions decreased from 18 months in 2022 to 15 months last year. Justice Minister Helen McEntee signed regulations introducing a fast-track decision process for applicants from recognized ‘safe countries of origin’ in November 2022.
Since the introduction of the system, most applicants from safe countries of origin have received a first instance decision within 10 weeks. This is down from the standard 17 to 24 months in previous years.
What happens if my application is not accepted?
If a person is refused refugee status, he or she has one right of appeal to the International Court of Appeal for Protection. In 2022, approximately 1,140 asylum applications were rejected and 539 deportation orders were signed.
What is the situation in other EU countries?
The number of asylum applications in the EU soared to nearly 1 million in 2022, according to the European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA). EU+ countries received approximately 996,000 asylum applications in 2022, an increase of 53% compared to 2021.
Approximately 70% of applications in 2022 will come from Germany (244,000), France (156,000), Spain (118,000), Austria (109,000), and Italy (84,000). Submitted by five recipient countries including:
Applications for international protection in Ireland accounted for 1.3% of the total in the EU (13,651).