The person referred to by the Deputy applied for asylum in June 1997. This application was refused in October 1998 and his subsequent appeal was also turned down. The Government decision allowing asylum seekers to work applied specifically to individuals who had been in the State for a minimum period of one year up to July 1999 and whose asylum case was ongoing. As the person referred to was no longer in the asylum system – his application had been refused after appeal and notification of such refusal was issued in May 1999 – he was not entitled to take up employment under this decision. I should mention at this point that there is no record on the case file of the person referred to that he was a qualified carpenter or that he provided translation services for voluntary services dealing with refugees and asylum seekers in Wexford.
There is no record on the applicant's file of either he or his legal representative having been informed of failure to respond to correspondence. The applicant's file indicates that he, his legal representative and my Department were in regular contact form the initial stages of his asylum application in 1997 up to the present time.
I am satisfied that the case of the individual referred to in the question was dealt with fairly at all stages of the asylum process.
I have considered this case under the provisions of section 3 of the Immigration Act, 1999, and have decided that this is an appropriate case where the person referred to should be repatriated. I do not consider the information in the Deputy's question sufficient to warrant a different conclusion. I understand that arrangements have been put in place and that the person referred to is due to be removed from the State today.
