Be open-minded on asylum seekers, urges Ó Ríordáin

Minister of State for Equality Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has called on those with what he called right-wing views on direct provision and the asylum process to be more open-minded.

His comments come as the Immigrant Council of Ireland said the direct provision system was placing victims of sex trafficking in danger.

“I would ask people to be open-minded. We have a history in Ireland of being unsympathetic in regard to the asylum process and what happens in terms of people who come to this country,” Mr Ó Ríordáin said.

“There are those who want the direct provision system completely ended. There are those who have very, very, I suppose, right-wing views in terms of how the situation should be handled.”

He called on everyone, regardless of their viewpoint, to give the working group reviewing direct provision a chance to come up with proposals to help formulate a system that the Republic could be proud of, during an interview on RTÉ Radio 1’s This Week programme.

Mr Ó Ríordáin reiterated his criticism of direct provision and said he wanted to change the system rather than make excuses for it. Asked if there was abuse of the social welfare system by asylum seekers, he said if it existed it would be discovered.

“What really is affecting me on an emotional level in many respects is the experiences of children within the system currently. It’s not something that I’m comfortable with and it’s something that I really want to be changed,” he said.

He did not want to raise expectations unnecessarily but he was not going to stand over a system that he did not view as fair. The right to work would be discussed by the working group, he confirmed.

Meanwhile, the Immigrant Council of Ireland’s chief executive Denise Charlton today said the placing of victims of sex-trafficking in direct provision centres put them in danger of abuse, threats “and a return to prostitution”.

She added: “Many have survived years of daily rapes after being tricked into coming to Ireland with false promises of a dream life, a new job or even marriage, only for a nightmare to start unfolding the moment they step into the car park of Dublin Airport.”

In a submission to Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald, Ms Charlton said that such women within the centres were denied privacy and could be contacted and intimidated by pimps and traffickers who wanted them to withdraw evidence to gardaí.