Labour opposes compulsory screening of asylum-seekers

Labour Party leader Mr Ruairí Quinn has come out strongly against a Fine Gael proposal to introduce compulsory health screening for asylum-seekers.

The notion of segregating people because of where they come from is discriminatory, and it would also probably be legally impossible, he said.

Yesterday Mr Michael Noonan told RTÉ radio he supported compulsory screening but expressed doubts that it would be "constitutionally possible".

Mr Quinn said as the notion of screening tourists would not be considered, no government should have the right to pick on one section of arrivals in the country. Any tests should be voluntary, and as such would be welcome. He called for "prudence" in the matter.

The "no dogs, no Paddies" mentality that many Irish emigrants experienced should be remembered, he said.

The reality of the situation was that the past isolation of Ireland due to its island nature was now altered, through Irish people travelling abroad and the tourist industry as well as immigration, he said.

"For example, God only knows what is going to come back from Japan and Korea," he quipped.

The Fine Gael health spokesman played down his party leader’s comments this morning, saying his party would "encourage" health screening for immigrants rather than legislate for it. "We’re not going to drag people down to the doctors and take their blood," Mr Gay Mitchell said.

Mr Noonan’s proposal was condemned yesterday by the Irish Refugee Council and the Irish Medical Organisation.