Vol. 494 No. 4
391 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has satisfied himself that procedures in all EU member countries in relation to the processing of refugee and asylum applications are of a sufficiently high standard to ensure that no asylum seekers are returned without a proper examination of their claim to a third country where they might suffer persecution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18324/98]
The Dublin Convention which came into operation on 1 September, 1997 provides a basis for determining the state responsible for examining applications for asylum lodged in one of the member states of the European Communities. An underlying philosophy of the Dublin Convention is a basic confidence on the part of the member states in each other's procedures in relation to asylum law. The Convention's starting point is that it guarantees the member states' commitment to honour their obligations under the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees which specifically provides that no contracting state shall expel or return a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where life or freedom would be threatened on account of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. This prohibition on refoulement is given effect in section 5 of the Refugee Act, 1996.
