More than 630 asylum seekers voluntarily left Ireland in the first five months of the year, according to figures from the Department of Justice.
People who voluntarily return to their country of origin are entitled to apply for a “reintegration assistance” fee. As of June 10th, the department had issued €222,500 in such payments to people this year.
As of May 31st, some 633 international protection applicants had voluntarily left the State this year. Typically, at least 100 applicants voluntarily leave each month – there were 101 such departures in January; 100 in February; 107 in March; 192 in April; and 133 in May.
People can apply for the assistance payments as an individual or a family unit, though this level of breakdown is not currently available for this year.
RM Block
“Not all participants in the Voluntary Return programme immediately pursue their reintegration assistance upon leaving the State, and some may not pursue it at all,” a statement from the department said. “There can also be a time lag between an individual receiving reintegration assistance and the reporting of that expenditure.”
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan announced last year that, for a limited time, people in the international protection process before September 28th, 2025, would be offered an increased reintegration assistance fee if they chose to avail of voluntary return at an earlier stage.
If a person decides to do so at any point in the process prior to them appealing any negative first instance decision in their asylum applications, they will receive €2,500 per person or a maximum of €10,000 per family unit.
More than 1,600 asylum seekers voluntarily left Ireland last year – a 72 per cent rise on 2024, when 934 people left the State by way of voluntary return.
While there was an overall increase last year, there was no marked rise from September, despite the Government offering larger financial incentives.
In 2025, the department paid out €855,723 in reintegration assistance fees – €554,666 in individual grants and €301,058 in family grants – a much higher figure than the previous year.
In 2024, €284,996 was paid in reintegration assistance fees – €206,800 to individuals and €78,196 to families.
Under the rules announced last September, if a person has appealed a decision but decides to return voluntarily before the appeal ruling is issued, they will receive €1,500, up to a maximum of €6,000 per family. If they receive a negative decision on their appeal, assistance will only increase for families to a maximum of €3,000.
The previous level of reintegration assistance offered was up to €1,200 per person or €2,000 per family.
A department spokesman previously said the process of returning people who do not have permission to remain in Ireland is undertaken through voluntary returns and deportation.
Both types of returns are “essential for the system to work effectively and to ensure that there is confidence in the application of the legislation in this area”, a statement said, but the department’s “preferred option” is for people to leave voluntarily.
