Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 June 2013
14. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will report on the mechanisms being put in place at EU level to ensure Syrians entering the European Union seeking asylum will be given proper consideration in view of the treatment of refugees on BBC's "Newsnight" programme on 6 June 2013. [28371/13]
View answerSince March 2011 the conflict in Syria has led to a dire humanitarian crisis. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees at least 1,600,000 Syrians have fled into countries neighbouring Syria. To date approximately 37,000 Syrians have applied for asylum in the Member States of the European Union.
The BBC Newsnight television programme to which the Deputy refers included elements regarding the situation of asylum seekers and irregular migrants in Greece. The systemic deficiencies in the asylum procedure and in the reception conditions of asylum seekers in Greece have been on the agenda of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council since Greece presented its Action Plan on Migration Management and Asylum Reform to the European Commission in August 2010. At the most recent meeting of the Council on 6 and 7 June 2013, the Greek Minister provided information regarding progress in the implementation of the Action Plan. The Council noted that considerable progress has been made to improve Greece’s asylum and migration systems and that there is more work to be done.
The Refugee Act 1996 provides that a person who arrives at the frontiers of the State, or who is in the State, may apply for asylum in Ireland. Accordingly, I do not have any statutory responsibility in respect of persons seeking asylum in another EU Member State.
Since the beginning of the conflict a total of 51 Syrians have applied for asylum in Ireland. In compliance with the EU Asylum Procedures Directive, persons applying for asylum in Ireland are guaranteed access to the asylum determination procedure and have the right to remain in Ireland pending the examination of the application. Also, I can confirm that since March 2011 no Syrian national has either been deported from Ireland or transferred from Ireland to Greece under the EU Dublin System.
The European Union as a whole is one of the leading international response actors in the Syrian crisis. Member States and the Commission have mobilised humanitarian funding of approximately €900 million. These funds are allocated for use both within Syria and to assist those fleeing the violence into neighbouring countries including Lebanon and Jordan. To date Ireland has provided over €8.15 million in assistance for Syria and the wider region. This overall contribution includes Ireland's pledge of €4.7 million made at the High Level Donor Pledging Conference for Syria in Kuwait City on 30 January 2013 attended by my colleague, Minister of State for Trade and Development Joe Costello. This pledge was promptly met in full.
