Vol. 504 No. 2
290 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to a survey published in a newspaper (details supplied) stating that 90 per cent of asylum seekers surveyed found the delays in processing their asylum applications and not being allowed to work as the main source of stress; the measures, if any, he will put in place to combat this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11507/99]
Yes, I have examined the newspaper article in question. When I entered Government, there was a major backlog of applications due to the surge in the number of asylum seekers which had been experienced in 1996 and in the first half of 1997. Since coming into Government, I have taken a number of steps to deal with the influx of asylum seekers. I have obtained Government approval to recruit an additional 144 staff to assist in processing applications for refugee status and for other asylum related work.
In addition, a one-stop-shop for asylum seekers has been set up in Timberlay House, Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2. The premises houses officials processing asylum applications, the independent appeals authorities, the Eastern Health Board's refugee and medical screening units, the refugee legal service and a research and documentation centre. The refugee legal service which commenced on 22 February 1999 is an independent, comprehensive legal service to assist asylum seekers in exercising their legal rights in all aspects of the Irish asylum procedure including representation of asylum seekers at appeal hearings.
I wish to inform the Deputy that by the end of 1998, all applicants who had sought asylum in this State before January 1997 had been afforded the opportunity of a substantive interview. First stage determination of asylum applications follows within a matter of weeks of the substantive interview in most cases, exceptions would be where a re-interview or further detailed inquiries are necessary.
By June 1999 it is expected that all applicants who lodged a claim up to March 1998 will have been afforded the opportunity of a substantive – interview. Simultaneously the task force put in place to deal with this matter is dealing with a mixture of new and old applications. At the present rates of progress and based on current application figures it is expected that the task force will have dealt with the entire backlog of applications by July 2000 and from that date will be dealing with applications on a current basis.
As the Deputy is aware, the right to work for asylum seekers is currently under consideration by the Government.
