Number of staff and nature of the first instance authority

Author

Irish Refugee Council Visit Website

The International Protection Office (IPO) is the body responsible for registering asylum applications and making the first instance decisions.

The IPO’s role involves making recommendations to the Minister for Justice on an applicant’s eligibility for refugee status, subsidiary protection and permission to remain under the single procedure. This system replaces the previous multi-layered process overseen by ORAC that was fraught with administrative delays and backlogs.[1]

At the end of 2020, the IPO was composed of an average of 148.1 staff members. Of the 148.1 staff, there were 27.6 staff directly involved in making first instance determinations on applications for international protection at year end.^[2] Data for 2021 was not available at the time of updating. At the end of 2022, the IPO was composed of a total of 201.1 staff members (full-time equivalents). Out of the 201.1 staff members, a total of 40 individuals were involved in the decision-making process.^[3] At the end of 2023, the International Protection Office was comprised of 396.14 full-time staff. Out of this number, 170 officials were involved in the decision making process.[4] As of 2024, there were 590 full-time equivalent staff employed at the International Protection Office, 261 of which were involved in of which were involved in the taking of decisions with respect to international protection applications.^[5]

In July 2023, in response to the significant increase in the number of applications for international protection, and further to the recommendations established in the Catherine Day Report, the Department of Justice published a report on the international protection modernisation programme for 2023 and 2024. This programme was established with a view to enhancing efficiencies and throughput, as well as improving the application, interview and decision -making process for applicants.[6] As part of the reform strategy, the Department is aiming to increase decision making targets to 1,000 first instance decisions per month by spring 2024. Additionally, both the IPO and IPAT’s operational capacity is currently being significantly expanded to meet increased caseloads and decision-making output. Additional resources are also being deployed through increasing staffing at both the IPO and the IPAT. These reforms are being supported by a significantly increased budget allocation of approximately €34m in 2024, to continue scaling up processing.[7]

Quality assurance and control

While the authors are not aware of any specific quality assurance or control mechanisms in place within the IPO, the UNHCR, in line with its advisory role, states that it regularly works in conjunction with the IPO with a view to improving the quality of decision making. This work includes the development and delivery of training, and the review of decisions and other support initiatives and draws on the best practice developed by the UNHCR through activities implemented in other EU Member States and internationally.^[8]

[1] AIDA Country Report: Ireland 2015, available: here.

[2] Information provided by the International Protection Office, April 2021.

[3] International Protection Office, March 2023.

[4] International Protection Office, April 2024. Note: This number is comprised of staff who make both recommendations and decisions within the meaning of the Single Procedure provided for by the International Protection Act 2015.

^[5] Information provided by the International Protection Office, March 2025. Additionally, it should be noted that the 261 is comprised of staff who make both recommendations and decisions within the meaning of the Single Procedure provided for under the International Protection Act 2015.

[6] Department of Justice, ‘Minister McEntee publishes International Protection Modernisation Strategy’, 5 July 2023, available: here.

[7] ibid.

[8] UNHCR, Ireland Fact Sheet – January – December 2019, available: here.