A review of supports for asylum seekers will be completed “within weeks”, Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe has said.
Last week The Irish Times reported that a review of supports offered to asylum seekers is now under way within the Coalition to ensure that the State’s offering is in line with other European countries.
Speaking in Dublin on Sunday, Mr Donohoe said the Taoiseach has now “asked for this work to be done quickly”.
“We want to ensure we are treating people compassionately and fairly as they come into Ireland seeking refuge. But we also want to ensure that we are acting in a way that is in line with similar offerings, similar decisions that are made across Europe. We recognise that those that are coming to our country seeking refuge are doing so in very difficult and desperate circumstances. But what we want to do is have a firm, clear, rules-based system in place that is compassionate and fair. This work under way and will be done quickly.”
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“We have a very successful work permits system in place at the moment and we have far more people who come to Ireland legally on work permits than we do those who come to our country on an international protection programme.”
Mr Donohoe said the work is being done is to assess and compare Ireland’s offering to other European countries.
“We just need to assess that for those coming into Ireland who may need benefits, that it is line with how we see other countries deal with the same issue. What is guiding this is our commitment to make sure that we are making good use of our country’s money and also treating those who are coming to Ireland seeking refuge in a fair and compassionate way.” He later said the work would be complete “within weeks.”
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He also questioned Sinn Féin’s stance of “opposing open borders”.
“What open border are they referring to that they want to see managed differently? Are they referring to the open border on the island of Ireland that I believe politicians all over this country were committed to protecting during the crisis of Brexit? Are they referring to the Border that they would want to see changed between the United Kingdom and Ireland, so are they against the Common Travel Area? Or are they referring to the border within the European Union of the single market that they want to see changed?”
Meanwhile, Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik has said she is “concerned” for the welfare of asylum seekers after it emerged on Sunday that gardaí are investigating an alleged attack on tents where homeless international protection applicants are sheltering on Grand Canal.
“It’s very concerning. I just heard last night that there was a nasty attack on a group of men who are camping along the canal, a stone’s throw from me. Our local volunteers have reported that to the gardaí, but the reality is that as long as people are forced to sleep in tents along the Grand Canal and in public streets, they will be at risk. It’s insecure by definition. It’s also not good for them: it’s inhumane, there’s no sanitation, there’s no cleaning facilities,” she said.
“The Government has failed to provide adequate accommodation for people and that’s what is creating the insecurity because as long as people are camping on the streets, there is insecurity.”
She was speaking at the launch of the party’s local and European election campaign. Labour is running more than 100 candidates for the upcoming local elections.
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