Immigration to Ireland increased by just 5% in the year to April 2024, marking a significant drop from the year before.

An annual review of migration and asylum from the European Migration Network (EMN) has shown that the majority of permits to non-EU residents were education and employment.

Spokesperson for the EMN Keire Murphy told Newstalk Breakfast that immigration to Ireland is "levelling off".

“The picture for Ireland is kind of one of plateau,” she said.

“2022 had been kind of a big year of increases, and what we see is kind of a levelling off.

“So, just a 5% increase [in 2024] - which had been a 31% increase the year before - a drop in arrivals for temporary protection, almost the same number for international protection and kind of a drop or almost the same number of first permits; a drop in employment permits for example.

“So, kind of a nuanced picture for immigration for the year.”

UK and EU passport control and immigration lanes at London's Heathrow Airport, 12-11-16. Image: EQRoy / Alamy

However, Ms Murphy said there are “really big capacity issues” affecting the international protection system.

“Even though the International Protection Office increased decision-making by 90%, you’re still seeing a 47% increase in the number of cases on hand at the end of the year,” she said.

“That’s an even bigger issue in the appeals system - the International Protection Appeals Tribunal had 359% more applications on hand at the end of the year.

“So, really big challenges there – and of course I think a lot of people are aware of the reception and accommodation challenges that where there, but there was also a lot of progress made.”

Work and education permits

According to Ms Murphy, people should keep in mind that most people migrating into the country are doing so on work or education permits.

“I suppose, international protection gets a lot of attention, and in part that’s because of challenges with processing, challengers with accommodation,” she said.

“But for the most part, migration is predominated by the ones that don’t really get into the news – the labour migration, returning Irish migration, for example.

“Education is one of the biggest ones; for first permits, permits issued to people from outside the EU, 45% of those in 2023 were for education and 27% for employment.”

Ms Murphy said the 2024 data shows a recovery in the number of work permits issued since 2023.

Main image: Check In Desks at Ryanair start to build in Dublin Airport Terminal 1. Photo: Collins Photos. 19.07.2024.