The number of applications for refugee status in Ireland has fallen to its lowest level in more than a decade.
The Refugee Applications Commissioner’s annual report, published today, shows the number of applications received last year was 3,985 - 7 per cent less than in 2006 and the lowest number since 1997.
The top six applicant countries for 2007 were Nigeria, Iraq, China, Pakistan, Georgia and Sudan as compared to Nigeria, Sudan, Romania, Iraq, Iran and Georgia for 2006.
The Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner is an independent body which considers applications for refugee status and makes recommendations to the Minister for Justice on whether such status should be granted.
Commissioner David Costello’s report shows the number of applications for asylum from unaccompanied minors was 88 last year, nearly 33 per cent less than the previous year.
There were 373 applications for family reunification received in 2007, representing a 22.8 per cent decrease on 2006.
The report also shows that 689 asylum applications were deemed withdrawn from the process for various reasons including applicants failing to co-operate or attend for interview.
Some 440 judicial reviews were received in 2007, compared with 233 in 2006.
Mr Costello said progress had been made in the speeding up the application process.
His report shows that by the end of 2007, the number of cases pending was 1,279, of which only 159 were over six months old.
Applications which were subject to ministerial prioritisation were processed in the main within 17 to 20 working days of the date of application.
Non-prioritised cases were processed to completion within approximately 13 to 15 weeks of the date of application.
Although the report said the timeframe for processing the latter was extended during the second half of the year due to the increase in complexity of cases and high turnover of experienced staff.
