'ASYLUM NUMBERS TOO HIGH'

Minister wants under 10,000 a year

- BY CILLIAN SHERLOCK

THE Justice Minister wants to see fewer than 10,000 asylum seekers entering Ireland a year.

Jim O'Callaghan said the numbers are currently "too high", after more than 18,500 people applied for asylum in 2024.

Before the pandemic there were typically 3,000 to 5,000 applications for international protection in Ireland each year.

It declined to between 1,500-2,600 in 2020 and 2021 before a surge to more than 13,500 in 2022 and 2023. At the same time, more than 114,000 people arrived in Ireland fleeing the war in Ukraine.

It means a total of 159,000 people arrived claiming temporary protection or international protection between 2022-2024.