Asylum appeals tribunal calls for extra staff
The International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) received 2,174 appeals last year compared to 1,386 in 2015 — a 57% increase that saw the tribunal left with 554 more appeals on hand than at the start of 2016.
Pakistani nationals represented the highest proportion of applications received by the tribunal last year, followed by nationals of Nigeria, Albania, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
Barry Magee, chairperson of IPAT, made the appeal for more staff in the 2016 annual report for the Refugee Appeals Tribunal — a body replaced earlier year by the IPAT.
In an accompanying letter to Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, Mr Magee said: “In 2016, the tribunal substantially increased the number of decisions issued by 82% to 1,163.
“However due to the increase of appeals received, the tribunal ended the year with 554 more appeals on hand.
“The number of staff provided by your department to the tribunal last year increased slightly by 3.2 full-time equivalent persons.
“As I stated in last year’s report, a substantial increase in staffing number [sic] will be required in order for the number of decisions issued to substantially increase. I am satisfied that the number of decisions issued last year represents the maximum capacity of the tribunal at current staffing levels,” he wrote.
The report states that the tribunal has 31.5 full-time equivalent staff.
“Staffing levels in the tribunal were reduced in recent years in line with the level of appeals being dealt with,” the report noted.
“The continuing substantial increase in appeals received in 2016 (up 57%) will require a corresponding increase in support staff to enable the tribunal to deal with such appeals in an efficient manner.”
The tribunal saw a 57% increase in the number of hearings scheduled last year compared to 2015, an 82% rise in decisions issued and completed appeals rose by half.
Its overall costs, including salaries, travel, office expenses and legal costs, came to €4,849,914 last year.
The report states that the tribunal incurred legal costs of €2,696,339 last year, a 47% increase on 2015 costs but lower than the peak of €4,523,622 incurred in 2009.
The 2016 figure is in respect of 75 cases and reflect the year in which the costs were paid. It also does not include the State’s legal costs in these cases.
The tribunal had 35 members last year, who completed an induction process and conducted appeal hearings.
A total of €383,921 in fees were paid to these members in respect of the 1,146 decisions they completed in 2016.
Mark Byrne BL received the most fees in 2016. He was paid €53,113 in respect of issuing 184 decisions, according to the report.
No new appointments to the tribunal were made in 2016, but the report states that the number of appeals scheduled for hearing increased last year due to “the capacity of members appointed in 2015 being able to undertake a greater number of appeals”.
“It is the tribunal’s experience that it can take up to six months for a newly appointed member to be fully trained and in a position to deal with a significant number of appeals,” according to the report.
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