Asylum seekers can wait almost three years for final decision on their application, data shows
The average wait time for asylum application appeals is up to 14 months, according to the latest data.An individual seeking international protection will wait up to 18 months for their application to be processed and where an appeal is sought, this may take a further 14 months. This means under normal procedures, a person could be waiting up to two years and eight months for a final decision to be made on their application.Under accelerated processing, applications by individuals will see their case initially dealt with within four months, but if they seek to appeal the decision, the process will take a further 11 months.Accelerated processing was introduced in 2022 and applies to people from designated safe countries who have received protection from another European country, and citizens from countries from which there are the largest number of applications. However, under this quicker processing, an asylum seeker can be waiting a total of 15 months.Responding to the data released to him by the Department of Justice, Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy said the information would compound the sense the international protection system was broken."These lengthy processing times are putting huge strains on the availability of accommodation and mean that often there is no accommodation for vulnerable people fleeing war and persecution," said Mr Carthy. Justice minister Jim O'Callaghan has said significant investment has allowed for a major increase in processing capacity with the International Protection Office delivering 14,156 first-decisions in 2024.CEO of Nasc, an organisation for migrant and refugee rights, Fiona Hurley said that processing times are all about balance."While the current 81 weeks as a procedure time is too long and we would welcome plans to reduce the backlogs, we are concerned that when efficiencies in processing are made, this is accompanied by the resources that would allow international protection applicants to have access to adequate legal advice before and during their applications," Ms Hurley said. "On the surface, speeding up a process may seem like a system is working more efficiently, but in the case of a victim of torture for example, being rushing through a complicated application process may add to their trauma."A letter from the Department of Justice warned chronic backlogs in dealing with applications could encourage people to claim asylum in Ireland because the process was known to be slow.In a pre-budget letter to the Department of Public Expenditure, the department said under the EU Migration Pact, Ireland would eventually have to make international protection decisions within six months.
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