Will Government Working Group Address Duration Issue?
JRS Ireland has welcomed the announcement by Minister Frances Fitzgerald of the Government’s decision to establish a working group next month to review the operation of the direct provision system.
However, the working group's terms of reference must ensure it has a mandate to offer durable solutions for asylum seekers living long term in direct provision.
Speaking of the announcement, Eugene Quinn, JRS Ireland National Director said:
"While a review of direct provision conditions is important, its remit must extend to the biggest single issue facing asylum seekers, which is the excessive length of time spent awaiting a final determination of their claim."
Making the call as part of the recent series by the Irish Times, 'Lives in Limbo', Mr Quinn continued:
"One in three asylum seekers has been waiting at least five years since first applying for asylum in Ireland. One in 10 has been waiting seven or more years, during which time they cannot work and endure a de facto barrier to third level and further education, while living on €19.10 per week.
But fixing a broken asylum system is not easy. Successive governments have promised and failed to introduce a single procedure where all applications for different forms of protection are lodged together. The announced fast-tracking of this long-awaited legislation will constitute a significant step forward. But a single procedure will not address the situation of the 1,900 asylum seekers stuck for more than five years at different stages of the asylum process. In particular, it will not resolve the impasse arising because of the large number of asylum cases before the courts for judicial review.
In the light of the backlog and the lack of available court resources it is estimated that it will take many years to resolve the existing caseload. It is critical that the terms of reference for the proposed working group include identifying durable solutions for applicants stuck in the asylum process, who have been living in limbo for years."
