The number of people applying for international protection in Ireland has fallen by more than 40% over the first three months of the year compared to the same period in 2024.
The total number of applications made between January and March 2025 stood at 3,021, compared to 5,162 during the first three months of last year.
Weekly arrival figures have been falling since October.
A total of 847 people sought asylum last month, representing a fall in more than 50% compared to the same period last year.
For over a year, the largest number of international protection applicants have come from Nigeria.
The remaining top five countries from where people sought asylum in March included Pakistan, Somalia and Afghanistan.
Georgia - which was deemed 'a safe country' since 2018 but remained in the top five countries for applications until December 2023 - has returned.
Number of deportation orders up 183% - Dept
There has been an 183% increase in the number of deportation orders signed up to 4 April, compared to the same period last year, according to the Department of Justice.
There have been 1,202 such orders signed this year, up from 424 in 2024.
480 people have left the State under various mechanisms, such as forced or voluntary return, from the beginning of January to 4 April.
The overall number of returns increased by 238% compared to the same period last year, the department said, with 142 people recorded as leaving the State between early January and 5 April 2024.
The number of enforced deportation rose by 161%, with 60 such deportations recorded from January up to 4 April this year and 23 between 1 January and 5 April 2024.
Meanwhile, the number of voluntary returns increased by 273%.
The department said that there were 407 voluntary returns from the start of this year until 4 April, compared with 109 up to 5 April last year.
In February, the Minister for Justice said "too many people" were coming to Ireland seeking international protection who were not entitled to it.
Minister Jim O’Callaghan said that over 80% of applications were rejected in January this year at first instance.
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His department is currently preparing for significant reform of Ireland’s asylum laws as part of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, which comes into effect in June next year.
Drop in number of irregular border crossings into EU - preliminary data
Last month, preliminary data from Frontex showed the number of irregular border crossings into the European Union dropped by 25% in the first two months of 2025.
While Frontex said most routes saw a decrease in the number of arrivals, the central Mediterranean route "defied the trend".
It saw the biggest increase in the first two months of the year, up 48% year-on-year which made it the second most active migratory route to the EU.
Despite a 40% decrease from last year, Frontex said the western African corridor remained the most active route for irregular migration in January-February. Most migrants came from Mali, Senegal, and Guinea.
BBC News reported last month that more than 5,000 migrants had crossed the English Channel between January and March this year, which was the earliest point in the year that crossings reached that point since recent records began.
One Irish migration analyst said asylum applications have always fluctuated and will continue to do so, which is why she said preparing for that fluctuation is the best approach.
Decrease reflects general trend across Europe - IRC
The Chief Executive of the Irish Refugee Council has said the decrease in the number of people applying for international protection is a combination of a firmer Irish approach and a general trend across Europe.
"It's quite clear that, and the Irish Government have been very direct in this, they've taken a number of measures that they feel have, in effect, reduced the ability to access the asylum procedure in Ireland," Nick Henderson said on RTÉ's Morning Ireland.
"I think it's in a combination of a general decrease across Europe, but also the measures that the Irish Government introduced last year."
Mr Henderson said the Irish Refugee Council were concerned at the lack of a fair approach.
"Our deep concern is the absence of a fairer approach and sustaining and building a fair asylum procedure.
"We'd have concerns, as we've spoken about a lot over the last year, about the measures that the government has taken," he said.
The European Court of Justice are yet to rule on Ireland’s responsibilities to provide accommodation, with Mr Henderson concerned that the Government may supply tents to those seeking asylum.
"We've always said that tents on the street don't meet the definition of accommodation," he said.
Steps taken by last govt 'bearing fruit'
Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman has said that steps taken by the last Government "are bearing fruit now" in terms of an increase in deportation.
The former minister for integration said that many more applicants are now arriving at their "final decisions, be they positive or negative".
"I think the steps taken by the last minister for justice are bearing fruit now, both in terms of the deportation, but also in terms of the decrease in people seeking international protection. There is a significant decrease in the first part of this year that began in October of last year," he said.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, Mr O’Gorman said he had concerns about the accommodation system for international protection applicants and that the Government should be looking at State-provided accommodation.
