McEntee aims to make numbers accessing asylum process 'manageable'

The consistent backlog at the IPO — coupled with a lack of accommodation, particularly for single men — has led to a situation where tented encampments have been springing up across Dublin’s south city centre. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

The Justice Minister has said her aim is to make the number of people accessing Ireland’s asylum-seeker process “manageable” as opposed to keeping pace with the huge number of applicants.

Helen McEntee said the number of people working in Ireland’s International Protection Office has doubled in the last year to 400, and that approval to recruit an additional 400 staff has also been sought to speed up processing times for asylum applications.