Clear policy differences have now emerged between the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue and the Progressive Democrats over whether asylum-seekers should be allowed to work.
A spokesman for the Progressive Democrats last night said the views expressed by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms O'Donnell, had "broad support within the party". Ms O'Donnell has strongly supported the campaign to permit asylum-seekers to work while their applications to stay are being processed.
On Friday, she said those waiting for more than six months to have their cases heard should be allowed to take up work.
However, according to Mr O'Donoghue, Ireland has attracted a disproportionate number of asylum-seekers because of the "generous regime" in place. The Refugee Act 1996 provided that applicants could neither seek nor enter employment, he said.
However, the PD spokesman said that while the rules applying to refugees and asylum-seekers must be observed, recognition had to be given to their human needs. He added that there was a "healthy and vigorous debate" in progress on the issue but the Government was "at one" on the need to counter racism in Ireland.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael's spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr Gay Mitchell, said that, following the increase in racist attacks, it was "shameful" that Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats were divided over policy.
"At a time when we need proactive leadership, the public disagreement between two Ministers on such a vital issue is appalling."
Welcoming the "reasonable suggestion" by Ms O'Donnell that asylum seekers should be allowed to work after six months, Democratic Left's spokeswoman on justice, Ms Liz McManus, said this position was supported by the Opposition, by ICTU, the INOU and over 100 other organisations.