A major conference on refugee and asylum issues has been told that Ireland’s legal system needs to react strongly to the phenomenon of large scale immigration.
Chairman of the Bar Council, Mr Rory Brady SC said he hoped that the principles of fairness enshrined in the Constitution would be applied to the system dealing with applicants for asylum.
Mr Brady referred to an Irish Timesheadline this week which stated that 366,000 immigrants to Ireland are expected over the next six years and said Irish people should have some real appreciation of the problems which face immigrants.
He added it "was not unreal to expect our courts to develop our fundamental laws in such a way as to ensure the dignity and freedom of those who come here from abroad".
Mr Bill Shipsey SC told the conference that the scale of the challenge facing refugee lawyers "can be gauged by the fact that by the end of last year Ireland had the distinction of having, according to UNHCR statistics, the highest per capita number of asylum seekers in Europe".
Today’s event focused on the recent changes in the system for dealing with refugee and asylum seekers with the Refugee Act and its amendments along with the impending Human Rights Bill.
The Bill, which is due to be published shortly will see the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights into Irish Law.
Mr Brady said: "I believe that a strong independent legal system that is willing to push out the boundaries of our legal and constitutional jurisprudence will play a central role in the developments of our modern multi-cultural society as a fair and open one for all."
The Attorney General Mr Michael McDowell and Chairman of the Irish Refugee Council Mr Peter O’Mahony are among the participants at the conference.