1 week Ago By [email protected] (Louise Burne)
The number of asylum applications received in the first three months of the year has dropped by 41 per cent. New figures released by the International Protection Office (IPO) showed that some 847 applications for International Protection were received in March. This is down from 1,821 applications in March 2024.
The number of applications has been decreasing in recent months following a sharp rise in the number of people seeking asylum. This does not include Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia’s war. The IPO numbers fell from July 2024 onwards, dropping to 896 in November before increasing again in December.
There were 1,087 applications in January, 1,089 applications in February and 847 applications in March, bringing the total number of asylum applications in 2025 so far to 3,021. The highest number of applications so far this year have come from Nigeria (514), Pakistan (388), Somalia (377), Afghanistan (310) and Georgia (173). The remaining 1,259 have come from other countries.
It represents a 41.5% decrease in the number of asylum applications in the first three months of the year. Georgia is considered a safe country of origin, which means that applications are processed quicker.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Nick Henderson, Chief Executive of the Irish Refugee Council, said that fewer people are applying for asylum due to a change in Government approach. He said: “It's quite clear that, and the Irish Government have been very direct in this, they've taken a number of measures that they feel have, in effect, reduced the ability to access the asylum procedure in Ireland. “Things like people being prosecuted if they arrive without a document, which many people have to do.
“I think it's a combination of a general decrease across Europe, but also the measures that the Irish Government introduced last year. “In essence, we would be saying, ‘That’s all very well. You’ve taken what’s described as a firm approach’.
“Our deep concern is the absence of a more fair approach and sustaining and building a fair asylum procedure. "We'd have concerns, as we've spoken about a lot over the last year, about the measures that the government has taken.” Separately, there have been 1,202 deportation orders signed to date this year, up from 424 in 2024.
Some 480 people have left the state so far this year. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here..
