THE Minister of State for Justice, Ms Joan Burton, has said that none of the Cuban asylum seekers who have been refused refugee status will be asked to leave the State.
Letters were sent last week by the Department of Justice to 155 Cubans, up to half of whom may have already left for North America, informing them that their applications for asylum had been refused.
Ms Burton said yesterday that the Cubans who had received those letters should respond in a two track manner. They should appeal the refusal of refugee status to retired judge Peter O'Malley, as laid down by current procedures governing asylum applications agreed with the UN High Commission for Refugees;
and they should write to the Minister for Justice "setting out the circumstances in which they should be granted humanitarian leave to stay in Ireland."
Departmental sources stressed that it would be "wise" for the Cubans to incorporate both the suggested actions in their response to the letters. They have 21 days to appeal.
It is understood that the appeals could take up to one year. Departmental sources have said that, even if their appeals are not successful, the Cubans will definitely be given leave to stay on humanitarian grounds if the present Government is still in office after the appeal rulings.
Ms Kathleen Lynch, a Democratic Left TD, called on the Government to give an undertaking that all asylum applications currently pending will be dealt with under the terms of the new Refugee Act, due to come into operation early next year, and that no asylum seekers will be deported pending full implementation of that Act.