Every number on this page comes from official Irish government statistics — the CSO, the Department of Justice, the Department of Integration, IPAT, and Parliamentary Questions. We don't estimate, spin, or editorialize the data. For dataset-by-dataset source notes and caveats, see the new Migration Data Reports.
Asylum & International Protection
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| International Protection applicants (2024) | 141,600+ | Department of Justice |
| Applications awaiting first decision | 14,000+ | IPAT Annual Report |
| Average processing time | ~24 months | Department of Justice |
| Recognition rate (refugee status + subsidiary protection) | ~38% | IPAT |
| Applicants in direct provision accommodation | ~28,000 | Dept. of Integration |
| Emergency accommodation centres in use | 300+ | Dept. of Integration |
Deportation & Enforcement
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Deportation orders issued (cumulative, in force) | ~9,000 | Parliamentary Questions |
| Deportation orders enforced | ~3% | Parliamentary Questions |
| Voluntary returns (2024) | ~1,200 | IOM Ireland |
| Return agreements with countries of origin | Limited | Dept. of Justice |
Population & Demographics
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total population (2022 Census) | 5,149,139 | CSO Census 2022 |
| Population growth (2016-2022) | +7.6% | CSO Census 2022 |
| Non-Irish nationals as % of population | ~15% | CSO Census 2022 |
| Born outside Ireland as % of population | ~20% | CSO Census 2022 |
| Net migration (2023 est.) | +77,600 | CSO Population Estimates |
Housing & Public Services Impact
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Social housing waiting list | 300,000+ | Housing Agency |
| Homeless individuals (official count) | ~14,000 | Dept. of Housing |
| Average house price nationally | €340,000+ | CSO Residential Property Price Index |
| Hospital waiting lists | 900,000+ | NTPF |
| Est. annual cost of direct provision system | €2.5B+ | Dept. of Integration |
How Ireland Compares
| Country | Asylum Applications per 1,000 Pop. | Deportation Enforcement | Offshore Processing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | ~3.4 | ~3% | No |
| Denmark | ~0.3 | ~60% | Yes (Rwanda plan) |
| Austria | ~2.1 | ~40% | No (dedicated ministry) |
| UK | ~1.2 | ~25% | Yes (Rwanda, paused) |
| Italy | ~2.3 | ~35% | Yes (Albania centres) |
Applications Trend: 2019–2025
Ireland’s international protection application numbers rose from under 4,000 in 2019 to a peak of approximately 17,000 in 2023, before declining. The surge coincides with the post-Covid reopening and the war in Ukraine.
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024