Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 27 Feb 1997

Vol. 475 No. 6

Written Answers. - Political Asylum.

Robert Molloy

Ceist:

38 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Justice the number per month of persons seeking political asylum in each of the past two years; the extent to which a proportion of this figure can be attributed to economic refugees; the State's policy in relation to economic refugees; the services, if any, which are provided to such political asylum seekers and economic refugees respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5476/97]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

The following tabular statement sets out the number of applications for asylum per month since 1 January 1995. Such applications are examined in accordance with the provisions of the 1951 United Nations Convention and 1967 Protocol relating to the status of refugees.

Since January 1994 66 applicants have been recognised as refugees. An additional 16 applicants have been granted permission to remain in the State on humanitarian grounds. About 1,700 applications during the period in question remain to be processed to final decision and it is not possible to indicate, therefore, the extent to which a proportion of the overall figure can be attributed to economic migrants. Having said that, there is no doubt but that there is widespread international concern that the special provisions for the protection of refugees are being abused by persons who have no valid claims to refugee status.

It is important to note that what sets refugees apart from other persons in need of humanitarian assistance is a need of international protection. A specific set of reasons — involving persecution and a lack of national protection — essentially distinguished a refugee from other categories of migrants. Most persons can look to their own governments and state institutions for assistance but a refugee as defined in international law is not in a position to do that.

International law, therefore, imposes an obligation on states to refrain from forcibly repariating a refugee who has a well-founded fear of persecution. There is no similar legal responsibility for a state to admit economic migrants and the generally accepted, and appropriate, response to economic deprivation, for example, is considered to be humanitarian assistance at source rather than international protection. Persons who are victims of economic deprivation and human misery are undoubtedly in need of assistance but they do not necessarily require the kind of international protection implied in the word "refugee".

Refugees and other migrants, of course, often use the same routes for entry into another country. However, it is important for a state to be able to make a distinction in a fair and consistent manner in order that people who are genuinely in need of protection are granted such protection. It is important also that the system of protection established by any state in response to the humanitarian nature of the problem of refuges is not made unworkable as a result of being overwhelmed by economic migrants.

With regard to services provided for asylum seekers, the position is that all applicants for asylum are eligible for State services. In 1996, an interdepartmental committee recommended that health boards should nominate community welfare officers to act as co-ordinators for the reception of asylum seekers: such co-ordinators to arrange that an asylum seeker is properly accommodated; receives the appropriate welfare assistance and accommodation allowance; is referred for appropriate health checks; is assisted, where necessary, with schooling arrangements for children; is made aware of any voluntary-helping-ethnic groups or other social groups who may be of assistance to the applicant; receives assistance for any special needs he-she may have, e.g. an asylum seeker who suffered mental or physical abuse may need to be referred to the health boards for conselling and medical assistance; if he-she is an unaccompanied minor, to put in place any necessary steps such as arranging foster care.

Since the report was made, seven of the eight health boards have nominated community welfare officers to fill the co-ordinator's role and an eighth nomination is expected shortly.

Asylum seekers are entitled to welfare assistance. While no accurate statistical information is currently available on the cost of maintaining asylum seekers, it is estimated that the annual figure would be in excess of £500,000 per 100 asylum seekers.

Table

Number of asylum applications lodged per month.

	1995	1996	1997
			(to 26/2/97)
January	18	99	235
February	25	71	210
March	30	72
April	17	60
May	19	113
June	26	64
July	43	104
August	40	83
September	41	116
October	50	131
November	47	116
December	68	150