This report is the sixth in a series of Annual Policy Reports, a series which is intended to provide a coherent overview of migration and asylum trends and policy development during consecutive periods beginning in January 2003. Ireland continued to experience a period of economic crisis in 2009, with Gross National Product (GNP) and employment both contracting by over 8 per cent. The recession and financial crisis also led to a very rapid deterioration in the public finances and a dramatic shortfall of government revenue over expenditure.
Two budgets took place in Ireland during 2009: a supplementary budget in April 2009 and Budget 2010 in December 2009. Changes arising included a reduction in Overseas Development Aid (ODA) and an overall reduction of 15 per cent in figures allocated to ‘Immigration and Asylum’ services within government departments.
