Sir, - The term "asylum-seekers" covers a varied group of people, some who are really very genuine and some who come here to take advantage of the social welfare system. Once they come into the country it is virtually impossible to send them home, even after a deportation order.
Would the following idea be practical and practicable? Set up offices at all the ports of entry where the applications of asylum-seekers would be processed, and also have an appeals mechanism at the port of entry. In this way the whole procedure would be fast-tracked and the really genuine cases would get through more speedily. Staffing at the ports could be done by retired gardai and civil servants, and the appeals mechanism at each port would decide more quickly whether or not the persons entering were genuine refugees.
People coming through Northern Ireland would present a more difficult problem, but with North-South bodies now operating again, an agreed solution could be found. Would what I am suggesting contravene any existing law, national or international? - Yours, etc.,
Fr Pat Griffin PP, Waterville, Co Kerry.