Ireland
Ireland
UNHCR works with Ireland to strengthen asylum systems, promote refugee inclusion, and ensure access to rights amid rising protection needs.
Are you a refugee, asylum-seeker or stateless person looking for help? Visit the HELP site to find support and services from UNHCR.
Key statistics
156,516
people were under UNHCR’s mandate in Ireland in 2024, including refugees and asylum-seekers
124,747
are registered refugees by the end of 2024, reflecting its continued role as a key country of asylum in Europe
31,769
people are asylum-seekers in Ireland by the end of 2024, arriving mostly from Ukraine, Algeria and Pakistan
UNHCR has maintained a continuous presence in Ireland since 1998, working to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees, asylum-seekers, and stateless persons. We provide guidance, training, and support to authorities, promote alignment with international standards, and offer assistance to individuals and those working on their behalf.
In 2024, Ireland’s asylum system experienced significant strain due to a record number of new applications. UNHCR supported efforts to scale up system capacity, including training 433 decision-makers, auditing 317 decisions, and contributing to legal proceedings that reaffirmed the right to adequate living standards. Educational pathways were strengthened, with scholarships offered to refugees through Irish universities, and community sponsorship initiatives expanded in collaboration with civil society.
The Irish Refugee Resettlement Programme, operational since 2000 in partnership with UNHCR, continued to provide protection to refugees unable to return home due to war or persecution. UNHCR also advanced legal reform, promoted statelessness determination, and ensured that gender, diversity, and trauma-informed approaches were embedded in national systems to protect and include forcibly displaced people.
Ireland as a donor
Find out more about the funds raised by the government and private sector in Ireland to support UNHCR.
Latest updates
Population and financial overview
Data on population and financials are available at the multi-country office level, which oversees operations across several countries.
Ireland
Use the year selector to access information from previous years.
Populations
Population types
Population types
Note: The "Stateless" category does not include stateless people who are also in other categories, to avoid double counting. The total number of stateless, across all categories, is .
NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.
Population by country
Population by country
NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.
Population by origin
Population by origin
NB: 2025 figures are planning figures.
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder for years until 2022, UNHCR planning figures (COMPASS) otherwise.
Financial
Budget and expenditure trend
Budget and expenditure trend
Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.
Budget by pillar
Budget by pillar
Budget by objective
Budget by objective
Note: The table presents the budget for this operation broken down at the objective level. Resource allocation at the objective level is subject to change during the course of the year as the operational situation evolves and priorities shift. The current budget, reflected in the bottom line of this table, is updated on a monthly basis and is replaced by the final budget at year-end.
Expenditure by Outcome Area
Expenditure by Outcome Area
Budget by Impact Area
Budget by Impact Area
Source: 2023 budget as approved by the Executive Committee in October 2022.
2022 current budget as approved by the High Commissioner as of October 2022; pending presentation to the ExCom's Standing Committee.
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Source: 2023 budget as approved by the Executive Committee in October 2022.
2022 current budget as approved by the High Commissioner as of October 2022; pending presentation to the ExCom's Standing Committee.
Budget by Impact Area
Budget by Impact Area
Source: 2024 budget and 2023 current budget are taken from the budget document approved by UNHCR's Executive Committee in October 2023.
Budget by Impact Area
Budget by Impact Area
Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Source: 2025 budget was approved by ExCom in October 2024 while the 2024 budget figures include the latest supplementary appeals and are updated on a monthly basis.
Budget by Impact Area
Budget by Impact Area
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
Budget by Outcome and Enabling Areas
yearselected
Strategy - Country
Strategy
Office contact details
Email: [email protected]
Ireland is covered by the following UNHCR office:
The Representation for EU Affairs, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands
Street address and mailing address:
Avenue Louise 283, B-1050 Brussels, BC, Belgium
Telephone:
+32 2 627 5999
Time zone:
GMT + 1
Working hours
- Monday: 9:00 – 18:00
- Tuesday: 9:00 – 18:00
- Wednesday: 9:00 – 18:00
- Thursday: 9:00 – 18:00
- Friday: 9:00 – 18:00
- Saturday: closed
- Sunday: closed
Note: if you are a forcibly displaced or stateless person who needs assistance, please consult the Help website. You can also contact us by phone on +32-472 18 92 65:
- Tuesday 9:30 – 12:30
- Thursday 13:30 – 16:30.
