The number of asylum seekers from Jordan has increased by more than 1,800% in the last 12 months to over 1,000, according to International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) statistics.
Last July, there were 53 Jordanian asylum seekers in Ireland. This number has grown to 1,021, according to figures released this week.
A total of 134 people from Jordan sought international protection in Ireland in the week ending 14 July, by far the country with the highest number. The country with the second highest numbers was Palestine, at 24.
Last week saw 86 arrivals from Jordan, with Palestine again the country with the second highest number, with 26 arrivals.
In Jordan, around 2.3m Palestinian refugees are registered with the UN Relief and Works Agency, though the total number is thought to be higher.
However, it is unclear if the major increase in those arriving in Ireland is related to the number of Palestinian refugees in Jordan.
It means Jordan is now in the top ten countries from which people are seeking protection in Ireland. Last year it was 40th on the list.
Overall, Nigeria remains the country with the highest number of those seeking international protection here with a total of 6,295.
This week has seen a reduction in the numbers seeking asylum. In total, there are 31,220 people in the IPAS system, compared to 31,337 last week.
When asked if the Department of Justice had any explanation for the increased number of people from Jordan seeking international protection, they said they keep migration patterns under review.
They said: “Migration patterns can shift and change, and the Government’s response adapts accordingly to maintain the integrity and efficiency of its immigration systems.
“These patterns, and the Government’s response to them, are kept under continual review.
“Minister McEntee has significantly increased investment in the international protection system, resulting in a significant increase in processing capacity and the introduction of accelerated processing.
“She has doubled the staff in the international Protection Office, which has trebled the number of decisions issuing from the IPO.
“Processing international protection applications quickly means those who need our protection are given the opportunity to re-build their life in Ireland in a timely manner. It also means that those who do not qualify, return to their country of origin.”
It is understood that when assessing a claim by an applicant from Jordan, the International Protection Office must first determine whether the applicant has acquired Jordanian nationality.
This requires a careful analysis because holding a passport does not necessarily mean a person has acquired Jordanian nationality.
If an applicant submits a passport, the IPO must check whether the document is a ‘Palestinian travel passport”https://www.rte.ie/”temporary passport’ issued by the Jordanian authorities or a Jordanian national passport.
Therefore, it is understood that someone originally registered as Jordanian will not have a full determination of nationality until their asylum claim is fully considered.
The median wait time to first interview for applicants in the regular international protection procedure is 55.5 weeks, according to the Department of Justice’s June report.
This means that any Jordanians who applied for international protection this year most likely will not receive their substantive interview until next year at the earliest.