The number of individuals applying for international protection in Ireland has dropped by over 40% in the first quarter of this year compared to the same timeframe in 2024, reports RTE.
Between January and March 2025, there were 3,021 applications, whereas the first three months of last year saw 5,162 applications.
Since October, the number of weekly arrivals has been steadily declining, reports RTE.
Last month, 847 people applied for asylum, which is more than a 50% drop compared to the same month last year.
For more than a year now, Nigeria has remained the primary country of origin for asylum seekers.
Other countries in the top five for asylum applications in March included Pakistan, Somalia, and Afghanistan, reports RTE.
Georgia, which has been considered a ‘safe country’ since 2018 and dropped out of the top five by the end of 2023, has now reappeared.
Deportation orders significantly higher – Justice Department
The Department of Justice reports a 183% rise in deportation orders signed by April 4, compared to the same time in 2024, reports RTE.
So far this year, 1,202 deportation orders have been signed, up from 424 last year.
From January through April 4, 480 people have left the country through various return methods, either enforced or voluntary.
Compared to the same period in 2024, the total number of returns has risen by 238%, with only 142 people recorded as having left in early 2024, reports RTE.
Enforced deportations grew by 161%, from 23 in early 2024 to 60 this year by April 4.
Voluntary departures have increased by 273%.
Between January and April 4 this year, there were 407 voluntary returns, compared to 109 in the same period last year, reports RTE.
In February, the Minister for Justice remarked that many of the individuals seeking asylum in Ireland were not eligible for protection.
Over 80% of initial decisions on applications in January this year resulted in rejections, reports RTE.
The Department of Justice is preparing to overhaul Ireland’s asylum legislation in line with the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, which will be implemented next June.
Fewer irregular border crossings into the EU – early figures
Early Frontex data from last month shows a 25% reduction in irregular border entries into the EU during the first two months of 2025, reports RTE.
While most migratory routes experienced a decline, the central Mediterranean path bucked the trend.
That route saw a 48% year-on-year increase, making it the second busiest migration path into the EU in early 2025.
Despite dropping by 40% compared to last year, the western African route remained the most used for irregular migration in January and February, with most migrants coming from Mali, Senegal, and Guinea, reports RTE.
BBC News reported over 5,000 people had crossed the English Channel between January and March, marking the earliest time in the year this number has been reached since modern records began.
An Irish migration expert said that fluctuations in asylum numbers are to be expected, and planning for such shifts is the most practical approach.
The head of the Irish Refugee Council believes the drop in applications is due to both Ireland’s stricter policies and broader European trends, reports RTE.
He stated that the Irish Government has clearly introduced actions that appear to limit access to the asylum process in Ireland.
He attributes the decline to both the Government’s efforts and the overall downward trend across Europe, reports RTE.
The Irish Refugee Council is worried about what it sees as an unfair asylum process.
They remain concerned about the need to maintain and develop a just system for processing asylum claims, reports RTE.
The Council has repeatedly raised concerns about the measures implemented by the Government over the past year.
The European Court of Justice has yet to decide on Ireland’s duty to provide housing, and the Council is wary of the possibility that tents could be offered as shelter, reports RTE.
The Council maintains that using tents does not qualify as providing proper accommodation.
Previous policies starting to have impact
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman said that actions taken by the former Government are now showing results through increased deportations, reports RTE.
He noted that more people are now reaching final decisions on their applications, whether accepted or not.
He believes the prior Justice Minister’s steps are having the intended effect, reducing the number of new protection applications and increasing deportations, especially since the drop began in October.
In an interview on RTÉ, O’Gorman also expressed concerns over the current accommodation system for asylum seekers, and suggested the Government consider state-run facilities, reports RTE.
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