Irish diplomatic representations to the Australian government over its treatment of Afghan refugees have not gone far enough, the leader of the Labour Party, Mr Ruairi Quinn, has said.
Ireland should use its membership of the UN Security Council to support the plight of those people, and the Taoiseach should raise the issue with EU Heads of State at the European Council, Mr Quinn said. Mr Ahern should also use whatever influence he had to state that "the behaviour of the Australian government in this case offends civilised values".
His comments came as the Tanaiste and Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment, Ms Harney, visited Canberra at the head of the largestever Irish trade mission to Australia.
Earlier, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, asked Ireland's Ambassador to convey to the Australian authorities the Government's concern for the people on board a Norwegian ship off Christmas Island. He also asked embassies in Norway and Indonesia to urge the governments there to work with the Australian authorities to resolve the situation.
Mr Cowen emphasised that all parties should uphold their obligations under the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and any other international human rights instruments which they might have signed.
The Labour Party leader recalled that two years ago Mr Ahern had visited asylum centres in Australia; had commented favourably on Australian ways of dealing with asylumseekers; and had emphasised the closeness between the two countries and between himself and the Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard. "He was wrong to do so," Mr Quinn said, "but surely he cannot remain silent about what we are seeing now?"
Urging the Australian government to allow the 400 Afghan refugees to land and make application for asylum on humanitarian grounds, Mr Quinn said if something untoward happened to them it would be a blight on the global community and on Australia in particular.
In an unconnected development, the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, signed an agreement with the Nigerian government to speed up the readmission of persons who failed to qualify for asylum in Ireland. Similar agreements were signed with Romania and Poland earlier this year, and there are plans to sign one with Bulgaria.
While emphasising the Government's willingness to meet its obligations in protecting genuine refugees, the Minister emphasised the importance of "tackling in a concerted manner the increased trend in illegal immigration which is affecting all EU states, including Ireland".
Measures recently adopted by the Government include the strengthening of immigration legislation; the introduction of legislation to deal with trafficking in illegal immigrants; the introduction of fingerprinting for asylum-seekers; the drafting of Carriers Liability Legislation; and the establishment of a Garda national immigration bureau.