Iraqis seeking refugee status in Ireland are not having their asylum claims processed at the moment due to the war. The move has caused worry and concern among some Iraqis whose appointments for interviews have been cancelled.
The Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner has within the past week temporarily suspended processing asylum claims by Iraqis, in response to advice it received from UNHCR.
The suspension affects a total of 171 Iraqi nationals whose asylum applications remain outstanding, 102 of whom made their claims in the first three months of this year. Fourteen Iraqis have had interviews cancelled.
An ORAC spokesman said yesterday it was "impossible to carry out meaningful analysis of individual claims in the current circumstances". The decision to suspend interviews of Iraqi applicants was in line with UNHCR advice and would be kept under review, he added in a statement.
However, 10 Iraqi Kurds living in Cork whose interviews were cancelled say they were not given reasons for the move, which has left them angry and frustrated.
Ms Pia Phrutz Phiri, of UNHCR's Ireland office, said yesterday there was nothing to prevent individuals insisting that their cases be heard if they were so traumatised they felt they could never return home.