Almost 800 people claimed asylum in the State last month, the latest Government figures show.
The July figures bring to 6,100 the total number of people who have claimed asylum in the State in the first seven months of the year, more than double the figure for the same period last year.
Out of the 773 applications for asylum last month, Nigerians comprised 245, while Romanians made 164. These two nationalities together account for more than half the 6,100 asylum claims made this year.
Last month's figure is an increase of about 100 on the previous month when the number of people claiming asylum fell to 677, the lowest in almost a year. Between last August and April asylum applications had been running at about 1,000 a month.
Asylum-seekers are people who seek refuge in the State on the basis that they are fleeing persecution at home on grounds including race, religion and nationality. Once granted refugee status, they are entitled to live permanently in the State. If refused following appeals they are liable to be deported.
The Government figures show that 196 people were refused refugee status this year until the end of last month, while 24 people were granted refugee status. The backlog of cases is currently 12,522.
Meanwhile, three Romanian asylum-seekers were deported at the weekend following their arrest on Dublin's North Circular Road by the Garda National Immigration Bureau.