Year Applications Approved Percent pre 2003 11,598 894 8% 2003 7,483 345 5% 2004 4,265 430 10% 2005 4,304 455 11% 2006 4,241 397 9% 2007 3,933 376 10% 2008 3,807 295 8% 2009 2,660 97 4% 2010 1,918 24 1% 2011 1,282 61 5% 2012 940 67 7% 2013 938 128 14% 2014 1438 132 9% 2015 3271 152 5% 2016 2237 444 20% TOTAL 54,315 4,297 8%





For more information on the statistics used in this article please visit :

http://ipo.gov.ie/en/ipo/pages/statistics

http://www.ria.gov.ie/en/RIA/Pages/Statistics





At the end of 2017 , there were 34 Asylum Centres spread accross 17 counties accommodating 5,473 asylum seekers .2017 saw a 30% jump in the number of asylum seekers arriving with 2,926 arrivals compared to 2,244 in 2016 .The top two Nationalities living in the centres at the end of 2017 were nationals of Pakistan and Nigeria .At the end of 2017 , the top 3 counties of accomodation were Dublin, Cork and Meath and the top 3 locations for people claiming asylum were Mount street application centre (1978 persons) , Dublin Airport (812 persons) and Cloverhill Prison (57 persons) .When an asylum seeker arrives in Ireland , they make their application for asylum to the International Protection Office (IPO) in Dublin .They are given a Face to Face interview to present their case and make all their arguments to a highly skilled and trained officer within the IPO .The IPO officer then examines all the evidence in detail and makes a recommendation to approve or reject the application .If the officer considers the person is not a Refugee as defined by the Geneva Convention , they will also consider granting subsidiary protection , which is an EU Law that is - "complimentary and addtional to the rights enshrined in the Geneva Convention" .The process is very thorough and fair .This is what makes the following statistic so alarming .Statistics published by the IPO (formerly known as ORAC) show that every year since the asylum system was introduced back in 2000 , on average just 8% of all Asylum applications are considered genuine by IPO officers .Presented with such facts , that just 8% of claims are considered genuine , is it not reasonable to expect that any government under such circumstances would be trying to close down centres rather than opening new centres?Yet the opposite holds true , Over the course of 2017 two new centres were opened , Bridgewater house, Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary in November followed by Linden House, New Road, Killarney in December .In the coming Months another two new centres are expected to open , King Thomond Hotel in Lisdoonvarna in County Clare and the Shannon Key West Hotel in Rooskey , County Leitrim .On Wednesday Evening , the people of Lisdoonvarna voted against the proposed Asylum Centre by 197 votes to 15 . However , the Department of Justice has indicated it intends to push ahead with the plan regardless .[tweet][/tweet]