Written answer
International Protection
As of 16 September 2026, IPAT had 21,019 appeals pending and had completed 6,643 that year amid increased processing capacity.
428. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of appeals currently pending before the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT). [66789/26]
Comment on this
My Department takes all necessary steps to manage the international protection process efficiently and effectively while ensuring that the integrity of those processes is maintained at all times.
The number of international protection applications has steadily risen over the past number of years, reaching 18,500 in 2024. In 2025, application numbers fell by approximately one-third. Application numbers to the end of August 2026 show a further reduction compared to the same period in 2025.
Over the same period there has been a significant increase in investment in the international protection system which, combined with digitisation and process re-engineering, has facilitated a major increase in processing capacity and demonstrates a strong commitment to reducing cases on hand.
In 2025, the International Protection Office (IPO) delivered over 20,200 first decisions, compared with approximately 14,100 in 2024, representing a 44% increase. The International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) more than doubled the number of appeals closed, from 3,100 in 2024 to nearly 6,300 in 2025.
As of 16 September this year, IPAT has 21,019 appeals on-hand. There have also been 6,643 appeals completed this year, which is an increase on the total number of appeals completed last year.