Sir, - I note the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is recruiting 160 temporary clerical and executive Officers to help to deal with the current backlog of asylum applications. There are no stated minimum educational qualifications for the CO posts. The standard for the EO posts is five grade Ds in the Leaving Cert. Those recruited will be engaged in the interviewing and assessment of asylum applicants, casework management, researching information on countries of origin and drafting response material for judicial reviews.
Am I alone in my concern at the low grading of so many of these posts? Applicants for asylum will most certainly be coming from a completely different culture from our own. Their English may well be poor and their ability to state their case greatly hampered by fear and uncertainty. They may be severely traumatised and in some cases, have suffered torture.
Surely staff being recruited for this most sensitive of assignments should be required to demonstrate their ability to empathise with highly vulnerable applicants and preferably have at least some experience in the caring professions. They will also need to be orientated towards a human rights perspective, and be thoroughly trained to ascertain whether or not a well-founded fear of persecution has caused the applicant to flee their home country. The qualities required to work with asylum-seekers should include: excellent listening skills; an aptitude to understand cultural difference; experience of working in Eastern Europe, a developing country or in the UN; overseas experience in an emergency relief situation with organisations such as Concern or Goal; experience in a caring profession, not to mention an interest in the area of human rights.
The advertisements state that experience in the Garda Siochana "may be of particular relevance". It worries me that former gardai are thought to be specially suited to these posts. Surely a career orientated to dealing with criminals and other wrong-doers is not a good preparation for this work. Seeking asylum in another country is an internationally-recognised human right, not a criminal offence.
The Minister is to be congratulated for this concrete effort to deal with the backlog of applications but could he be persuaded to redraft the selection criteria for these posts? The closing date is February 23rd but it could be extended. - Yours, etc.,
Gabrielle Brocklesby, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.