The number of asylum-seekers appealing decisions denying them permission to stay in Ireland increased fourfold last year.

The International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAS) confirmed this surge, reporting over 3,500 additional appeals in 2023 compared to the previous year.

In total, IPAS registered 4,775 appeals last year, up from 1,180 in 2022 – an increase of over 300 percent.

“The number of appeals being received is at a level not seen by the tribunal since it was set up in December 2016,” said IPAS registrar George Sinclair.

The previous highest annual total of appeals received by the tribunal was 2,151 in 2018.

The latest figures show that 70 percent of all international protection appeals last year were rejected – a total of 969 cases – while asylum was granted in 28 percent of cases and subsidiary protection in a further 2 percent of appeals.

Georgia was the leading country of origin for applicants last year, accounting for 37 percent of all appeals accepted by IPAS during 2023. This was followed by South Africa and Algeria (both 10 percent), Nigeria (nine percent), and Zimbabwe (eight percent).

Other countries with significant numbers of appeals included Botswana, Albania, Somalia, Egypt, and Pakistan.

Natives of the Democratic Republic of Congo had the highest success rate in their appeals, with 73 percent having the International Protection Office’s decision to refuse them asylum overturned, followed by Zimbabwe (60 percent) and Malawi and Pakistan (both 46 percent).

The lowest success rate In appeals was recorded by applicants from Georgia and Algeria, with only 15 percent having the IPO decision on their status overturned.