Parliamentary Question Date: 05/11/2026 Time: 14:03 Please consider the environment and print only if necessary. Page: 1 / 4 PQ ID Deputy Question Type PQ77808/26 Ruth Coppinger Written Department Date for Answer Status Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 03/11/2026 Replied Order Number 1417 Parliamentary Question To ask the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the current number of complaints alleging actual or apparent bias of members of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal brought forward by applicants which are investigated and addressed. Parliamentary Question Date: 05/11/2026 Time: 14:03 Please consider the environment and print only if necessary. Page: 2 / 4 Reply Reply Grouped With: Order Number Question Type Date for Answer 1394 Written 03/11/2026 Deputy Holly Cairns Parliamentary Question To ask the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide detail on the membership of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal; their qualifications for membership of the tribunal; and the process for the appointment, oversight, and accountability of IPAT members. Order Number Question Type Date for Answer 1391 Written 03/11/2026 Deputy Holly Cairns Parliamentary Question To ask the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to outline the general process for investigating complaints in regards to the impartiality of members of IPAT; whether his office has received complaints in relation to the impartiality of members of the IPAT; if so, the number of complaints received; and the current status of the investigation into said complaints. Order Number Question Type Date for Answer 1392 Written 03/11/2026 Deputy Holly Cairns Parliamentary Question To ask the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the details of the appeal routes and safeguards which international protection applicants can avail of in instances where the impartiality of an assigned decision maker in the IPAT is brought under reasonable question. Order Number Question Type Date for Answer 1393 Written 03/11/2026 Deputy Holly Cairns Parliamentary Question Parliamentary Question Date: 05/11/2026 Time: 14:03 Please consider the environment and print only if necessary. Page: 3 / 4 To ask the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide clarification on the way in which complaints alleging bias in decisions made by members of IPAT are investigated and addressed. Order Number Question Type Date for Answer 1416 Written 03/11/2026 Deputy Ruth Coppinger Parliamentary Question To ask the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to consider improving oversight mechanisms for members of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal to ensure that members public statements in regards to the applicants communities are taken into consideration, when reviewing the impartiality of the members of the committee. Order Number Question Type Date for Answer 1421 Written 03/11/2026 Deputy Ruth Coppinger Parliamentary Question To ask the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to state the current oversight mechanism used to scrutinise the impartiality of members of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal. Minister Answering Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O'Callaghan The International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) is a statutorily independent body and exercises a quasi-judicial function under the International Protection Act 2015. The Tribunal consists of a Chairperson, two Deputy Chairpersons, and ordinary members appointed on either a whole- time or part-time capacity. All Tribunal members are either barristers or solicitors with a minimum of two years’ professional experience and are appointed by the Minister for Justice following an open competition run by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) in accordance with section 62(4) of the International Protection Act 2015. Members are appointed for fixed terms and may only be reappointed in accordance with the Act. Tribunal decisions are subject to challenge through the courts by way of judicial review. Information on the Tribunal’s practices and procedures, including Chairpersons Guidelines , the Administrative Practice Note - IPAT and the Other Practices and Procedures - IPAT are available on https://www.protectionappeals.ie The Tribunal has received one complaint regarding the impartiality of a Tribunal Member. Parliamentary Question Date: 05/11/2026 Time: 14:03 Please consider the environment and print only if necessary. Page: 4 / 4 The Chairperson’s Guideline No: 2023/2 Code of Conduct and Rules on Conflict of Interest provides that, where a complaint is made to the Chairperson that a Member has expressed an opinion that could be seen as impinging upon their independence or impartiality, the Member shall be notified and given an opportunity to make any submission that they may wish to in relation to the matter. In this matter, the Tribunal Member was informed of the complaint and has not made any submission in relation to it. The Chairperson considered the complaint and came to the view that it did not warrant the making of a written report to the Minister pursuant to s.63(9) of the International Protection Act 2015. As the Deputy will be aware, the International Protection Act 2026 entered into effect on 12 June 2026 and gives effect to the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. As part of these new measures a new international protection appeals body, the Tribunal for Asylum and Returns Appeals (TARA) was established on 12 June which will process all appeals made under the International Protection 2026 Act. The International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) will continue to process appeals arising under the International Protection Act 2015.