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. We present it clearly so you can draw your own conclusions.
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