The number of asylum seekers stuck in limbo while challenging a rejected application has surged by 900% over the past eight years, reports The Mirror.
Data from the Department of Justice reveals that the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) received 8,835 appeals in 2024, compared to 4,775 in 2023 – marking an 85% increase.
In just the first two months of 2025, 2,076 appeals were filed, indicating a continued rise in rejections and increasing pressure on the appeals process, reports The Mirror.
IPAT, which began operations in late 2016, is on track to hit a record number of appeals this year if the trend persists.
John Lannon, CEO of migrants’ rights group Doras, described the process as “critical,” reports The Mirror.
He noted that almost two-thirds of asylum claims were denied in 2023, but 30% of those initial rejections were later overturned on appeal.
Mr Lannon stated: “This demonstrates that the right decision doesn’t always get made in the first instance. As the number of people seeking asylum increases, the number of negative decisions will inevitably increase. This is particularly so when some applications are being accelerated and the International Protection Office does not have adequate trained resources to make informed decisions.” He also highlighted issues with the fast-tracking of applications from 15 so-called safe countries,” reports The Mirror.
Mr Lannon said: “These include countries like Egypt, where there are grave human rights abuses including arbitrary and unlawful killings, enforced disappearance and torture. Nigeria and Jordan are also subject to the accelerated procedure, treated as ‘safe countries’. We are aware of applicants that didn’t have the opportunity to seek legal advice prior to undergoing their interview. This was due to the short turn-around time between the initial application and interview,” reports The Mirror.
Since 2017, when just 887 appeals were submitted, the volume of asylum challenges has increased nearly tenfold.
Yet, Department of Justice figures indicate the system is not processing completed appeals at the same rate, allowing a growing backlog.
A spokesperson noted that under EU and international law, the state is required to provide basic services – including housing – to those awaiting an asylum decision, reports The Mirror.
A Department of Justice spokesperson also pointed out that overall applications have risen since 2017, with a notable increase following the Covid-19 pandemic.
“While an appeal in a case may not fall in the same year as the application is first received, in general terms the rise in the number of appeals follows from the increase in overall applications and decisions as first instance,” reports The Mirror.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
