McDowell meets UN over 'bogus' asylum claims

The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, has agreed plans with the United Nations in an effort to reduce the increasing number of "unfounded" asylum applications in Ireland.

He made the announcement following a meeting with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr Ruud Lubbers, who is visiting Ireland for a series of engagements, including discussions with members of the Government on Ireland's forthcoming Presidency of the European Union.

Mr Lubbers also met the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the Minister of State for Development Co-operation, Mr Kitt, at Government Buildings this afternoon.

The High Commissioner has called on Ireland to make the protection of refugees and asylum-seekers a priority during its six-month EU Presidency. He has also voiced concerns at a number of EU directives which have been proposed to stem the tide of asylum-seekers into Europe.

These include sending asylum-seekers to third-party "safe countries", barring citizens of certain countries from applying for refugee status and deporting failed asylum-seekers before their appeals have been heard.

Up to 90 per cent of all asylum claims in Ireland are rejected, Mr McDowell said. He said that although Ireland fully intends to honour the terms of the Geneva Convention, he stressed to Mr Lubbers that the Government was under increasing financial pressure due to the number of bogus applications.

The cost of processing unfounded applications and providing support services to claimants reached €340 million last year, he said.

Mr McDowell said it was agreed that the UNHCR would provide aid to Ireland in returning bogus claimants found not to be in need of international protection to their countries of origins. He said the UNHCR would assist Irish authorities in cases where countries failed in their legal obligation to take back their own nationals.

Mr McDowell has also said he is in favour of plans for EU-organised charter flights to return illegal immigrants to their countries of origin.

Mr Lubbers also attended the launch in Government Buildings of the 2004 UN Global Consolidated Appeal, which was also attended by Nobel prize-winning poet, Professor Seamus Heaney, in his role as UN Goodwill Ambassador. At the launch, Mr Kitt announced a package of humanitarian assistance worth €6.7 million through Development Co-operation Ireland.