Twenty-two non-nationals were being detained in Wexford and Waterford last night after apparently entering the country illegally from France.
Two groups of people, most of them Romanian, were discovered separately hiding in freight trailers which had arrived in Rosslare Port early yesterday morning on a ferry which had come from Cherbourg.
At about midday, 11 Romanian men were discovered in a trailer which was being unloaded at the depot of the international freight-forwarding company, Intel, in Knocktopher, Co Kilkenny.
The men, aged between 25 and 45, were taken by gardai to Ballybricken station in Waterford, where they were being questioned about the circumstances of their arrival. Each of the men had a sum of Irish money, about £100, and they carried Romanian passports. Gardai said they had not tried to run away when discovered. Up to yesterday evening, it is understood, they had not asked for political asylum in Ireland.
Earlier yesterday, another group of non-nationals, 10 men and one woman, were found in Rosslare in the trailer of a lorry which had also arrived from Cherbourg. Nine of this group are believed to be Romanian, two were reported to be Hungarian.
They were taken to Wexford Garda station for processing. Later they were found accommodation locally. There were no English-speakers among them, but an interpreter was found. Gardai said later the group had indicated they were seeking asylum.
The two groups formed the largest number of non-nationals discovered trying to gain entry to Ire land illegally in recent months. This was the third occasion since January in which gardai have detained groups of Romanians for illegal entry.
Earlier this year, a number of other Romanian asylum-seekers were apprehended in the Southeast. They were also believed to have stowed away in freight containers in Cherbourg which were en route to Ireland.
Since last July, all containers and lorries arriving at Rosslare are searched by gardai at the port. About 75,000 freight units, between articulated lorries and unaccompanied trailers, arrive in the port annually. A month ago, two non-nationals were discovered hiding in a trailer carrying a consignment of wine.
The asylum-seekers are cared for by the South Eastern Health Board while their applications are being processed.
There are no asylum-seekers being accommodated in Waterford City at present. Previous groups have been put up at the Bolton House hostel in the city.
The administrator of the hostel, the Rev John Rochfort, a member of the Refugee Council, has provided emergency accommodation for previous groups and has helped them to secure medical cards, social welfare payments and other assistance.
A group of Liberians who arrived in Waterford earlier this year, hidden on board a cargo ship, were put up in the city for 2 1/2 months. One of these died, another absconded and the other seven are now believed to be in the UK and the Netherlands.
The people who were apprehended yesterday were said to be in good physical condition.
C. The trailers arrived in Rosslare from Cherbourg at about 6.30 a.m. on board the P&O freight ferry, the European Pathfinder.
The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, has said the Government is to introduce new legislation on immigration "on a priority basis" in line with the recommendations of an inter-departmental committee. The committee has also recommended, and the Government accepted, that an amnesty should not be granted to asylum-seekers, Mr O'Donoghue said.
