In light of the extraordinary circumstances of the current COVID-19 developments and the announcement made earlier today by the Taoiseach, the International Protection Office wishes to advise that the following arrangements will apply with immediate effect:- 

• all substantive interviews scheduled for Friday 13 March and up to and including  29 March 2020  have been cancelled. We will be in contact in due course with new interview dates.

• Temporary Residence Certificate (TRC) Renewal Appointments and call-backs are being suspended up to and including 29^th March.   Applicants whose TRC is due for renewal between now and the 29^th March will have a new card automatically issued to them to cover them for the period. 

Applicants who are impacted by these arrangements are requested not to visit the International Protection Office until further notice.  

In addition the International Protection Office will provide a limited service to new applicants only from Friday 13^th March.  

These measures are considered necessary to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and support the national measures, including requirements on social distancing,  announced by the Taoiseach earlier today.  

Further updates will be provided in due course.

12 March 2020.