Postcards From The Edge

at

8eI3C-eAjVLOLVc7XWAmq2Kv_yu3rEnbXDvBrD0L1Go

hpUFZAcxOIk01NTLWvinenmG4_1WmxRX0IGKnZaci7U

card

There are over 4.309 people in direct provision.

Would you like to help clear the backlog?

Caroline Reid writes:

As you may know, the Irish Refugee Council and Doras Luimní are asking for people in the asylum backlog to have their cases resolved in a one-off scheme that will draw a line under a system that has left people languishing for years.

This proposed one off scheme sets out the different categories that people fall under, and how and why each of them should be included in a scheme to grant them some form of status in Ireland as soon as possible.

People in the system now need to know that the end of this prolonged nightmare is in sight. That can only be done by those still in the system being given decisions that allow them to remain in Ireland and to get on with their lives.

People are encouraged to take pen to paper to write their own letter of support to the Minister/ newspaper/ TDs outlining why they are supporting the scheme. Letter templates are available via the website here) Alternatively they can email caroline@irishrefugeecouncil.ie for some campaign postcards.

Clear The Asylum Backlog (irishRefugeeCouncil)

Sponsored Link

22 thoughts on “Postcards From The Edge

  1. AlisonT

    Do they want to clear the backlog by stopping the endless appeals by people who entered the country from the UK and France to claim asylum? That would get rid of most of them and free up resources to help genuine refugees.

    1. Rep

      They are allowed under international law to apply to as many countries as they step on. Ignorant comments such as yours just inflame the massive racist problem this country has.

      1. AlisonT

        Under European law they should apply in the first EU country the arrive in. Most have not and have traveled illegally to Ireland from safe EU countries. If we want to have open borders we should try to adopt that policy and you can campaign for it. Currently we allow massive resources go to economic refugees from other EU states while not putting enough towards helping the people stuck on the edge of war-zones, famines and repressive regimes. Most of the people who need the most help cannot travel into Europe and then across Europe before asking for help. We should be putting our resources into taking people directly from refugee camps on the edge of danger zones.

    2. Sinabhfuil

      What was the country I was hearing about where the refugees were invited into people’s homes to live as guests?
      Maybe it was Jordan – is it or Lebanon, where the population is 4 million, plus 2 million refugees from neighbouring wars?
      Remember Ireland after World War II when we gave shelter to many orphaned or lost children through Save the German Children? Remember when we turned away the desperate shipload of Jews, as did every other country where they tried to land?
      Yes, I’m sure some people are just looking for a place to live and work, but I doubt somehow that this is the majority of people living in the shaming camps where Ireland puts them.

      1. Rob_G

        Approx. 90% of the people currently living in direct provision have had their asylum claims rejected, and are appealing for leave to stay on other grounds.

        1. Don Pidgeoni

          Ireland has one of the worst records for accepting asylum claims in Europe. No stats on how many of these are accepted at appeal?

          1. AlisonT

            That is because people have to travel through safe countries in the EU to get here. Most people who are fleeing in fear for their lives apply in the first safe country the get to.

          1. Rob_G

            This is from a debate in the Seanad rather than the CSO or courts service or anything: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/state-fears-alternative-to-direct-provision-will-attract-asylum-seekers-1.1932537

            ‘Senator Hildegarde Naughton (FG) said recent disquiet among asylum seekers and support organisations was understandable, given the length of time people were spending in the system.

            But she said key facts needed to be considered, such as a 90 per cent refusal rate for asylum appeals over the past 10 years.

            “I feel that sometimes the impression is given that we are discussing actual refugees when in the vast majority of cases what we are discussing are economic migrants or those applying for some other form of leave to remain,” she said.’

        2. Don Pidgeoni

          Only stats I could find were that half of cases were accepted at appeal. Not that this might be a trick to stop people appealing and maybe being granted asylum at all.

    3. Soundings

      Well said Alison. It should be said that the asylum appeals tribunal people do get it wrong on occasion, and their decisions have been over-ruled by the courts, but yes, if the appeals have been turned down, the assumption should be they should be deported. If you want to clear the backlog, that’s how you do it, not by subverting the system.

      Now how do you draft a template to say that to the elected representatives?

      1. Don Pidgeoni

        If half are successful on appeal, that suggests its a little more than the tribunals getting it wrong occasionally.

          1. Don Pidgeoni

            Experiences of Asylum Seekers in the Cork area: the Persistence of Exclusion
            Chinyere Victor Nwagwuagwu

            Old data but couldnt find anything up to date. Happy to stand corrected but even if 10%, that is not occasional nor is it in line with other EU countries who, lets face it, would attract more economic migrants than Ireland.

  2. ElZilcho

    Just to clarify on the subject of where asylum should be claimed first.

    An asylum seeker may stop in as many countries as he/she wishes before landing in the country in which a claim is finally made. This may contribute towards an eventual refusal of the claim (taken in conjunction with credibility concerns etc surrounding the claim of persecution), but this does not preclude the making of the claim in the first place. Also, if the asylum seeker in question has a well founded fear of persecution in his/her country of origin, he/she will be granted, regardless of how many countries were gone through en route.

    Going through other countries before making a claim in Ireland will only count against an applicant if an actual asylum claim had already been made in one of those other countries.

Comments are closed.

Sponsored Link
Broadsheet.ie