Vol. 407 No. 7
73 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Justice if, under the Dublin Agreement during the Irish Presidency in 1990, asylum seekers were denied the right to seek asylum if they have passed through or spent time in another EC country without seeking asylum in that country; and the number of cases in the past year where this situation occurred.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a question on 28 February 1991 (Column 2127 of the Official Report) concerning the Convention on Asylum signed in Dublin on 15 June 1990. The convention has not yet been ratified.
74 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Justice the status of applications for asylum as refugees by persons (details supplied), noting that these applications were made in spring 1990.
The applications in question are being examined in my Department.
75 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Justice if he will indicate the average time it takes to make a decision on an application for asylum as a refugee.
The average time taken to examine an application for asylum could only be calculated by a detailed examination of all of the individual applicants' files, which would not be warranted since it would require the expenditure of a disproportionate amount of staff time. The Deputy may be assured, however, that such application are processed as quickly as is possible in the light of the issues involved and the consultation and other procedures required.
