The Government is considering further measures to cut the flow of immigration as figures show a renewed surge in the number of asylum-seekers coming to Ireland.
Figures from the Department of Justice show that 1,357 people applied for asylum here in the first three months of this year, more than in the whole of 1996. In spite of strict controls on immigration introduced last year, asylum-seekers have been coming to Ireland in record numbers over the past two months.
Legislation is being drafted to introduce stiffer penalties for people involved in trafficking illegal immigrants into Ireland. Existing legislation provides for a fine of £2 on the illegal worker, rather than the employer.
The Government may also bring forward proposals designed to limit access to Irish citizenship. At present, anyone born here - which may include the children of asylum-seekers or illegal immigrants - is entitled to citizenship.
The pace of deportations is also quickening. So far, 16 people whose applications for asylum were refused have been deported, most of them in the past few months.
Human rights groups have expressed concern that some of the deportees may be sent back, either directly or by chain deportation through another EU state, to their home country, where their safety might be in danger.
Little or nothing is known of the fate of deportees after they are transported from Ireland. The problems with lack of information are exacerbated by the Department's failure to agree a legal aid scheme acceptable to lawyers.
The Government has decided to accept the recommendation of an inter-departmental committee that the services of the International Organisation for Migration should be used when repatriations are being carried out.
Ireland will also become more closely involved in intergovernmental consultations on asylum, refugee and migration policies in Europe, North America and Australia.
To facilitate the repatriation of asylum-seekers whose applications are refused, formal readmission agreements will be concluded with many of these countries.
At the end of February the Department had 4,613 applications for asylum waiting to be processed. The appointment of additional staff to deal with the backlog was delayed by an industrial dispute, but since this was resolved interviews for retired public servants have been arranged and a number of the promised 80 additional staff have been appointed.
Training for staff has been organised with the assistance of the London office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, told the Dail last month that 516 decisions were taken last year in asylum cases. Some 208 applicants were granted refugee status and 304 were refused. Of those refused, 120 were granted temporary leave to remain.
Mr O'Donoghue said a comparative study would be carried out of Irish and EU legislation on refugees to try to align Irish policy more closely to that of its EU partners. International experience showed that at most 10 per cent of asylum-seekers would be found to be refugees when their claims were examined, the Minister said.
