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Ireland + 6 more

UNHCR Ireland Fact Sheet, September 2024

Attachments

The rate of arrivals of people seeking asylum in Ireland is at an all-time high, with the latest data indicating a more than 80 per cent increase in applications compared to the same period in 2023.

A new accommodation strategy to address increasing arrivals was unveiled in March. UNHCR continues to advocate for general standards to apply to all accommodation facilities nationwide.

UNHCR is continuing advocacy to end homelessness among asylumseekers. In August 2024, a High Court judgment found that the State is failing to meet the basic needs of some new arrivals.

HIGHLIGHTS

Ireland Opts Into EU Pact

The Irish parliament voted in favour of opting into the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum in June. This will mean a complete overhaul of the country’s international protection system. UNHCR welcomed the decision and will support the authorities through the implementation phase towards a robust system that protects the rights of all asylum seekers, particularly the most vulnerable.

Refugee Week 2024

More events, more participants and a dedicated website were features of a growing ‘Refugee Week Ireland’, celebrated in June. UNHCR supported several new initiatives including a collaborative mural project with refugee artists, a primary school poetry competition and our first ‘International Ceili’ where local communities joined refugees and asylum-seekers to learn about Irish culture and dance.