Overview of the main changes since the previous report update

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This report was previously updated in May 2025.

International protection

• Key Asylum Statistics: Throughout 2025, a total of 13,159 applications for international protection were lodged. The International Protection Office (IPO) issued a total of 19,558 decisions, 3,751 of which were positive. Among these, 3,481 decisions granted international protection to applicants, while 270 applicants were granted humanitarian permission to remain (See Statistics).[1]

Asylum procedure

• Processing of Applications: The IPO issued a total of 19,558 decisions in 2025. 13,159 applications for international protection were made throughout the year. According to latest available statistics, the number of international protection applications throughout 2025 has decreased somewhat when compared with the previous reporting period (see Regular Procedure).[2]
• Length of procedure: Throughout 2025, the median processing time for first instance decisions was approximately 17 months for all cases decided pursuant to the ordinary procedure. This marks a slight decrease in the overall processing time compared with the previous reporting period (18 months for all applications under the ordinary procedure).[3] The median processing time for cases decided pursuant to the accelerated procedure was 4 months throughout 2025.[4] However, processing times under the ordinary procedure remained lengthy in view of the commitment by the Department of Justice to reduce the overall processing time to 6 months in line with the recommendations of the Expert Advisory Group. The median waiting period for appeals before the IPAT was 12.5 months[5] (see Regular procedure).
• International Protection Appeals: The vast majority of appeals before the IPAT proceeded on a remote basis via audio-video link throughout 2025. In circumstances whereby an appeal was deemed unsuitable to proceed remotely, the appeal proceeded by way of an on-site oral hearing. This usually occurs in circumstances whereby to proceed with an appeal remotely would be contrary to the interests of justice or whereby the applicant specifically requests an onsite oral hearing. Throughout 2025, the IPAT issued a total of 5,743 appeal decisions.[6] Of these decisions, 1,156 applicants were granted refugee status, 118 were granted subsidiary protection status and the remaining appeals were rejected.[7] 15,097 appeals were lodged to the Tribunal against negative first instance decisions made by the IPO throughout 2025. A further 237 appeals were submitted to the Tribunal pursuant to the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018[8] (see Appeal).
• Changes to the international protection application procedure: As of 8 October 2025, applications for international protection were processed at two separate locations. Families with one or more children under the age of 18 who were submitting a joint application on the same day, as well as nationals of Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Egypt, Georgia, India, Kosovo, Malawi, Montenegro, Morocco, North Macedonia, Serbia, and South Africa, were required to submit their applications at the Citywest Convention Centre, located in the south-west suburbs of Dublin. All other applicants, including single applicants and unaccompanied minors, were required to submit their applications at the International Protection Office (IPO) in Dublin city centre.[9] Changes to the international protection application procedure were initially introduced in summer 2025, when the IPO first implemented the Pact Transition process in respect of applications from nationals of Georgia, India, and Brazil. This process was subsequently expanded to include nationals of the aforementioned countries. Applications from these nationalities were processed in a manner intended to mirror the border procedure that is scheduled to come into effect with the implementation of the Pact in June 2026. The transition is being carried out under the current legislative framework and therefore does not include certain elements envisaged under the Pact, such as restrictions on movement or the establishment of an independent rights monitoring mechanism. These measures will be introduced once the new legislation enters into force[10] (see Registration of the asylum application).

• Accelerated procedure: With effect from 23 April 2024, the IPO began accelerating the processing of applications from the country of origin with the highest number of applications within a given period. From April 2024, nationals of Nigeria were subject to the accelerated procedure. Subsequently, in July 2024, Jordanian nationals were also subject to the accelerated procedure. In July 2025, the Department of Justice announced that nationals of Pakistan would also be subject to the accelerated procedure.[11] As of 24 July 2025, 905 people from Pakistan had sought international protection in Ireland throughout 2025. This compares to 1,391 for the whole of 2024, 624 in 2023, 242 in 2022 and 68 in 2021[12] (see Accelerated procedure). 

• IPAT case processing capacity: In October 2025, it was announced that up to 30 staff from the European Union Asylum Agency would be seconded to the International Protection Appeals Tribunal in order to assist with the Tribunal’s increasing caseload. At the end of September 2025, there were 15,929 cases pending before the Tribunal. EUAA staff are to assist with preparing appeal files, conducting research on country-of-origin information and international protection jurisprudence, while also providing interpretation in difficult-to-source languages. The agreement between the Irish government and the EUAA will be valid until 31^st December 2026.[13] The agreement was announced subsequent to the release of figures in July 2025: 87 individuals were employed with IPAT and there were 25 unfilled vacancies[14] (see Regular procedure – Appeal).

• Deportations: Throughout 2025, there was an increase in the number of Deportation Orders signed. As of 10 December 2025, 4,454 deportation orders have been signed throughout the year,[15] compared to 2,403 deportation orders signed in 2024.[16] The increase in deportation orders is attributable to the new government’s decision to strengthen immigration enforcement. 2025 also saw the renewed use of chartered deportation flights. A contract was signed in November 2024 for the provision of charter aircraft for deportation operation purposes.[17] The first flight, bound for Georgia, departed Dublin airport in February 2025. Passengers on board the flight were accompanied by Garda personnel, medical staff, an interpreter and a human rights observer.[18] As of December 2025, six charter flights operations had removed 205 people from the State. Of these, five operations were to non-EU destinations, including Georgia and Nigeria, removing 182 persons subject to deportation orders. The remaining operation removed 23 EU citizens on grounds of criminality[19] (see Return procedure) 

• Increase in voluntary return allowance: In September 2025, it was announced that for a limited period, persons in the international protection process prior to 28 September 2025 would be offered increased reintegration assistance if they chose to withdraw their international protection application and avail themselves of voluntary return at an earlier stage in the process. Prior to September 2025, the level of reintegration assistance offered was up to € 1,200 per person and € 2,000 per family unit. Under the changes, whereby an applicant chooses to withdraw their application for international protection before receiving a first instance decision or prior to appealing a negative first instance decision, the reintegration assistance offered would be increased to € 2,500 per person to a maximum of € 10,000 per family unit. Whereby an applicant is in the appeals process and decides to voluntary return prior to an appeal decision being issued, their assistance will increase, but to the lower amount of € 1,500 per person and maximum € 6,000 per family unit. If they receive a final decision on their application, assistance will only increase for families to a maximum of € 3,000 per family unit.[20] The Irish Refugee Council raised significant concerns regarding the revised policy, noting that it targets specifically persons in the protection process and that it is unethical and inappropriate to pay applicants in need of safety to abandon their claims. 1,496 persons had left Ireland by way of voluntary return as of 5 December 2025, an increase of 78% compared with the same period in 2024[21] (see Return procedure). 

• Creation of office of Minister of State for Migration: In January 2025, following the formation of Ireland’s new coalition government, a reconfiguration of ministerial responsibilities saw the creation of a junior ministry for migration established within the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. The creation of the Ministry was part of a broader expansion in junior ministerial roles. Fine Gael TD, Colm Brophy, was appointed Minister of State for Migration, with specific responsibility for migration, including international protection, working alongside senior Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan TD. The creation of the role marked a significant structural change in governance with respect to Ireland’s asylum system and has also drawn scrutiny from stakeholders concerned about the potential dilution of Cabinet-level accountability for asylum matters.

Reception conditions

• Reception capacity: Capacity within the Direct Provision system remained a very significant challenge throughout 2025. Due to the unprecedented increase in numbers of individuals seeking international protection in previous years, accommodation capacity continued to be extremely limited. On 4 December 2023, the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) announced that it would not be in a position to provide accommodation to all international protection applicants upon arrival due to a severe shortage in accommodation capacity.[22] As a result, throughout 2025, single male international protection applicants who presented themselves to the International Protection Office were assessed by IPAS and HSE staff for any significant vulnerabilities or health issues and prioritised for accommodation as necessary.[23] Whereby no significant vulnerabilities were identified, male applicants were not provided with accommodation. Consequently, many single male applicants were forced to sleep on the street for prolonged periods, often during bouts of inclement weather conditions and amidst a period of increased anti-immigrant sentiment. At the time of updating (January 2026), there were 405 applicants awaiting an offer of accommodation from IPAS.[24] Families with children and single women continued to be offered accommodation throughout 2025.[25] IPAs who were not provided with accommodation received a temporary increase of €75 to their Daily Expense Allowance (DEA). This increased the allowance to €113.80 a week for eligible applicants.[26] Separately, the State appealed the High Court’s decision in Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission v. Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth & Ors [2024] IEHC 493, in which the High Court held that the State had breached Article 1 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights by failing to provide newly arrived international protection applicants with basic necessities, including accommodation, food and hygiene facilities. Allowing the State’s appeal and overturning the High Court’s decision, the Court of Appeal held that while the State had failed to meet accommodation needs, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) not sufficiently demonstrated that this failure had undermined the applicants’ physical or mental health or placed them in a situation of degradation incompatible with human dignity pursuant to Article 1. The Court of Appeal further considered that evidence as to the broader material circumstances were insufficient to establish a violation of Article 1 of the Charter.[27] As of November 2025, IHREC had been granted leave to appeal the decision of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court.[28] The appeal was heard by the Supreme Court in March 2026. Judgment was reserved and had not yet been issued at the time of updating in April 2026 In a separate but related case, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) issued a judgment in Case C-97/24 S.A. & R.J. v. The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. This case concerned whether a Member State could avoid liability under EU law for failing to provide material reception conditions on the basis of an unforeseen higher number of arrivals of international protection applicants. The CJEU held that a Member State which fails to provide an applicant lacking sufficient means with material reception conditions, even on a temporary basis, manifestly and gravely exceeds the discretion afforded to it under the Reception Conditions Directive. The Court found that such a failure is capable of constituting a sufficiently serious breach of EU law, thereby giving rise to State liability. It further held that a Member State cannot evade its obligation to ensure the provision of basic needs, as any contrary interpretation would undermine the principle of effective judicial protection for applicants.[29] At the time of updating (January 2026), the case had been remitted to the High Court for consideration as to the issue of damages[30] (see Reception Conditions).

• Reception standards: Throughout 2025, reception standards remained poor. 2025 saw the continued reliance by the State on so-called ‘emergency centres.’ Applicants continued to be accommodated in congregated and overcrowded settings without access to basic public services.[31] Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre also continued to operate throughout the year as both a transit hub for the processing of beneficiaries of Temporary Protection, as well as for the accommodation of newly arrived international protection applicants. In June 2025, it was announced that the State had approved plans to proceed with the purchase of the Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre for a sum of €148.2m. The State had been leasing the property from a private contractor since 2020, when it was initially used as a site for administering Covid vaccinations and later converted for use as a transit hub.[32] As of December 2025, there were 385 international protection applicants residing at Citywest Convention Centre.[33] Throughout 2025, several sites were also developed for the provision of tented accommodation and modular units in order to deal with ongoing accommodation shortages. One such site was located at Lissywollen, Co. Westmeath with projected capacity for approximately 1,000 residents. Construction began on the site in early October 2024, and the first residents arrived in December 2024 with further residents due to arrive on a phased basis thereafter. Establishment of the centre was progressed by way of Ministerial Order so as to fast-track development of the site in response to the significant accommodation capacity constraints.[34] Local Councillors, as well as members of the community, strongly opposed the development, citing concerns regarding planning, environmental impacts, health services capacity, lack of consultation and local communities. A High Court challenge was brought by a group of local Councillors, who sought to argue that the State’s use of a statutory instrument to expedite the centre’s establishment was unlawful.[35] In subsequent proceedings, the State conceded that the legislative process used to authorise the centre was indeed flawed. In late 2025, the High Court formally quashed the ministerial order that had allowed the centre to be set up without full planning and environmental approval, declaring the centre’s fast-tracked approval legally invalid. However, the judge allowed a four-month stay on the order taking effect and on this basis, the Government has until early March 2026 to pass corrective legislation. Throughout the course of proceedings, the centre continued to operate, albeit at a significantly reduced capacity. However, as of late 2025, the temporary structures on the site were dismantled and the site was cleared[36] (see Types of accommodation).

• HIQA Inspections: During 2025, HIQA continued to exercise its statutory oversight function in relation to permanent IPAS centres, conducting inspections to assess compliance with the National Standards. HIQA’s inspections focused on quality, safety, governance and the lived experience of residents in permanent accommodation settings. HIQA published multiple inspection statements over the course of the year, with inspection reports released in January, February, May, June, August, November and December 2025. These covered a broad range of permanent IPAS centres located in counties across the country.[37] Several were found to have no non-compliances identified against the National Standards. However, a number of non-compliances were also identified across inspections. Common themes included instances where leadership structures, reporting systems or awareness of responsibilities amongst centre staff were insufficient,[38] inadequate implementation of safeguarding procedures,[39] substandard accommodation arrangements,[40] inadequate contingency planning and emergency preparedness, and ineffective systems for identifying and responding to the special needs of residents.[41] For each instance of non-compliance, HIQA required that service providers submit comprehensive compliance plans outlining how deficits would be addressed in order to achieve full compliance with the national standards (see Direct Provision centres).
• Daily Expense Allowance income assessment: In November 2025, the Department of Justice proposed significant policy changes aimed at requiring international protection applicants resident in IPAS centres who are engaged in paid employment to make financial contributions toward the cost of their accommodation. The proposed contribution model is means-tested, and applicants will be required to contribute based on their weekly earnings. Those earning up to approximately €150 per week would pay a relatively modest contribution (e.g., €15 weekly). Contributions increase with higher earnings, with those earning more than €600 per week facing weekly charges of up to €238.[42] The Irish Refugee Council criticised the changes, noting that many applicants residing in IPAS centres are in part-time or precarious employment, moving in and out of work, and supporting their families on very limited incomes. It was further emphasised that it is unreasonable to expect people to contribute financially when the accommodation they are placed in is often of substandard and poor quality[43] (see Daily expenses allowance).

Content of international protection

• Changes to citizenship and family reunification: Significant changes to the legal frameworks governing family reunification and citizenship were announced in November 2025. Under these reforms, individuals granted international protection are now subject to more stringent family reunification requirements, including the obligation to demonstrate adequate financial resources and access to suitable accommodation to support family members. In relation to citizenship, the qualifying residence period for refugees will be extended from three to five years. The criteria for naturalisation will also be revised through the introduction of a requirement that applicants demonstrate self-sufficiency. Applicants for citizenship must not have been in receipt of certain social protection payments during the two-year period immediately preceding the submission of an application.[44] While the majority of the proposed changes will require legislative amendments in order to become operational, the qualifying residence condition with respect to citizenship became operational on 8 December 2025.[45] The Irish Refugee Council has expressed significant concern with respect to the proposed changes, warning that they will significantly weaken refugee integration by limiting pathways to citizenship and family reunification[46] (see Naturalisation and Family reunification).
• Reinstatement of revocation of citizenship procedure: In April 2025, the Minister for Justice signed an order reinstating the State’s powers to revoke naturalised Irish citizenship in serious cases. This followed a 2021 Supreme Court judgment which held that the previous revocation regime lacked adequate procedural safeguards and was therefore unconstitutional. As a result of that decision, no citizenship revocations have taken place since 2021. Under the revised legislative framework, an individual who is the subject of a proposed revocation is afforded 28 days to make submissions to the Minister for Justice setting out why their citizenship should not be revoked. Following the Minister’s decision, the individual has a further 14 days to request an independent inquiry. Where such a request is made, an inquiry committee will be established, chaired by a retired judge drawn from the Circuit Court, High Court, Court of Appeal, or Supreme Court. The committee will also include two ordinary members appointed by the Minister for Justice[47] (see Naturalisation).

Temporary protection

The information given hereafter constitute a short summary of the Annex on Temporary Protection for this report, for further information, see Annex on Temporary Protection.

Temporary protection procedure

• Key statistics: As of 03 February 2026, 121,048 individuals had registered for temporary protection in Ireland. 84, 100 had activity administrative data in the State after 30 November 2025.
• Extension of temporary protection: Following the extension of temporary protection up to 4 March 2027, it was confirmed that temporary protection status will continue automatically and no reapplication process is required. Existing temporary protection certificates will remain valid evidence of permission to reside, work, and access public services in Ireland. However, individuals who hold Irish Residence Permit (IRP) cards are still required to renew those cards separately through the Immigration Service Delivery renewal process.
• Beneficiaries of temporary protection in another EU Member State: individuals who previously received temporary protection in another country must provide confirmation that their protection status in that country has been cancelled before applying in Ireland. In practice, this requirement has created significant difficulties. Delays or administrative failures in updating the EU shared database may result in an applicant’s status in another country still appearing as active. As a consequence, some applicants have been refused temporary protection in Ireland despite having completed the cancellation process in another Member State.

Content of temporary protection

• Permitted absence from state accommodation: In September 2025, in an effort to maximise occupancy of available bed space in state accommodation, a further revised absence protocol was introduced, with a for 21-day absence allowance per calendar year. All absences must be agreed in advance between the BOTP and the accommodation Service Provider at local level. If a BOTP exceeds the allowance, they must be recorded as absent and service providers must report all cases of non-compliance with the protocol to IPAS.
• Phasing out of state-supported accommodation: since 10 November 2025, beneficiaries of temporary protection are accommodated for a maximum period of 30 days, as opposed to 90 days previously, in Designated Accommodation Centres. Some individuals were required to return to Ukraine after the expiry of the 30-day accommodation period because they were unable to secure alternative housing, notably due to the ongoing housing shortage in Ireland. In April 2026, the Government announced a phased withdrawal of State-contracted accommodation housing approximately 16,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection. Under the planned withdrawal, accommodation provided to people who arrived before March 2024 will be withdrawn, except in cases involving highly vulnerable individuals or those facing barriers to independent living. The process will begin in August 2026 and take place over six months, with affected residents to receive at least three months’ notice.
• Phasing out payments for households hosting beneficiaries: In July 2022, the Government introduced an Accommodation Recognition Payment of € 400 per month for households hosting beneficiaries of temporary protection. In December 2022, the payment was increased to € 800 per month. However, in June 2025, the payment was reduced to € 600 per month. Subsequently, in April 2026, it was announced that the Government was set to wind down the payment with a view to ending the payment in March 2027. It was also agreed to cut the payment to € 400 per month, commencing in September.

[1] IPO, March 2026.

[2] IPO, March 2026.

[3] IPO, March 2026.

[4] IPO, March 2026.

[5] IPAT, February 2026.

[6] IPAT, February 2026.

[7] IPAT, February 2026.

[8] IPAT, February 2026.

[9] International Protection Office, ‘What’s New’, 4^th December 2025, available here.

[10] Information provided by Irish Refugee Council Policy Officer, November 2025.

[11] International Protection Office, ‘Prioritisation and Acceleration of an Additional Category of Applicants’,  available here.

[12] Irish Times, ‘International protection applicants from Pakistan added to accelerated processing list’, 28^th of July 2025, available here.

[13] Law Society Gazette, ‘EU agency’s staff to help with asylum appeals’, 20^th October 2025, available here.

[14] The Journal, ‘Over 22% of jobs at International Protection Appeals Tribunal are currently sitting empty’, 4^th July 2025, available here.

[15] Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Response to Parliamentary Question No 259, 10 December 2025, available here.

[16] BreakingNews, ‘Deportation Orders for failed asylum seekers surged by 180% last year’, 17^th February 2025, available here.

[17] Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, ‘Charter deportations flights recommence’, 1^st March 2025, available here.

[18] ibid.

[19] Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Response to Parliamentary Question No 608, 9^th December 2025, available here.

[20] Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, ‘Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim  O’Callaghan announces new incentive to encourage Voluntary Returns’, 29^th of September 2025, available here.

[21] Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Response to Parliamentary Question No 608, 9th December 2025, available here.

[22] Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, ‘Statistics on International Protection Applicantsnot offered accommodation’, 12th December 2023, available here.

[23] ibid.

[24] ibid.

[25] Information provided by Irish Refugee Council Information and Advocacy Service, January 2026.

[26] Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, ‘Statistics on International Protection Applicants not offered accommodation’, 12th December 2023, available here.

[27] The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission v The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth & Ors [2025] IECA 156, available here.

[28] Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. ‘Supreme Court Grants Commission Leave to Appeal in Unaccommodated International Protection Applicants Case’, 7^th November 2025, available here.

[29] Case C-97/24 S.A. & R.J. v. The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, 1^st August 2025, available here.

[30] Information provided by IRC Independent Law Centre, January 2026.

[31] Information provided by IRC Information and Advocacy Service, January 2026.

[32] RTE, ‘Government agrees €148m purchase of Citywest Hotel and campus’, 18 June 2025, available here.

[33] Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, ‘IPAS Weekly Accommodation and Arrivals Statistics’, 14 December 2025, available here.

[34] Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, ‘Midlands Accommodation Centre, Lissywollen, Athlone’, 4 July 2025, available here.

[35] Extra.ie, ‘Athlone Direct Provision Centre halted by High Court over planning failures’, 1 January 2025, available here.

[36] ibid.

[37] HIQA, ‘Inspection Reports’, available here.

[38] HIQA, ‘International Protection Accommodation Service centres publication statement 15 August 2025’, 15^th August 2025, available here.

[39] HIQA, ‘International Protection Accommodation Service centres publication statement 05 November 2025’, 5^th November 2025, available here.

[40] ibid.

[41] ibid.

[42] The Journal, ‘Asylum-seekers with jobs will be required to pay towards their accommodation under new plans’, 3^rd November 2025, available here.

[43] Irish Refugee Council, ‘Policy changes will keep families apart and push refugees further into the margins of our Society’, 3^rd December 2025, available here.

[44] Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, ‘Minister Jim O’Callaghan receives government approval to strengthen migration legislation and introduce new rules on asylum and citizenship & Minister Jim O’Callaghan and Minister Colm Brophy publishes Family Reunification Review’, 26^th November 2025, available here.

[45] Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, ‘Changes to Citizenship for People Granted International Protection’, 8^th December 2025, available here.

[46] Irish Refugee Council, ‘Policy changes will keep families apart and push refugees further into the margins of our society’, 3^rd December 2025, available here.

[47] Irish Examiner, ‘Justice minister reinstates powers to revoke Irish citizenship in serious cases’, 10^th of April 2025, available here.