Number of new asylum seekers up 26%

There was a 26% increase in the number of new asylum seekers in Ireland last year, despite a general decline across the EU in foreign nationals applying for refugee status.

New EU figures show a total of 3,655 individuals were first-time asylum applicants in the Republic of Ireland in 2018 — an annual increase of 745 over the previous year, and the highest level since 2008.