The Irish Refugee Council has said delays in registration of asylum application are causing hardship and poverty for many people in the international protection process.
These people "are waiting both for their application to be registered and a temporary residence certificate (TRC) issued".
The TRC is a crucial document that permits a person to apply for a PPS number, a medical card and the daily expenses allowance given to people seeking protection.
According to numbers released this week, at least 1,200 people have yet to complete the initial application process. The organisation states that this situation is resulting in people experiencing poverty.
Similar days and issues were flagged by the Irish Refugee Council in July 2019.
Irish Refugee Council CEO Nick Henderson said: “We commend the Irish State for providing refugees from Ukraine PPS numbers and other paperwork within hours of arrival. However, this is in stark contrast to the experience of many people in the mainstream international protection process are experiencing delays in the registration of their protection application and the issuing of the temporary residence certificate (TRC) (the TRC is evidence that a person has submitted an international protection application in Ireland).”
He added: “Figures obtained by Catherine Connolly TD state that 1,200 people have yet to complete the initial application process. The Irish Refugee Council’s interpretation of the International Protection Act is that the TRC shall be issued when or as soon as possible after the person applies for international protection, not at a later stage in the process. I.e. when they first attend the International Protection Office.
“We understand that there are pressures on the protection process, but prompt, if not immediate, registration of the protection application and issuing of the temporary residence certificate is essential. This is also, in our opinion, a legal obligation under the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018 and the International Protection Act 2015.
“We need to learn from how key paperwork and documents have been quickly delivered to people who have fled Ukraine and apply that to all people seeking protection.”
