A Nigerian national based in Limerick who is seeking refugee status has begun a campaign to have an amnesty granted to asylum-seekers.
Dr Lu Edeha, a former lecturer in international relations and sociology, is to meet the Labour Party leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, and representatives of Doras Luimni, a local support group for asylum-seekers, on Monday.
On Wednesday, they will meet the Fine Gael spokesman on Justice, Mr Alan Shatter, in Dublin.
Dr Edeha has spent the past six months lobbying politicians on the issue. He points out that in 1985 Mr Bertie Ahern, who was then Fianna Fail spokesman on Labour and the Public Service, called for an amnesty for the 70,000 Irish emigrants who were working illegally in the US. "It is not so long ago that Mr Bruce Morrisson negotiated visas for the Irish who were illegal in America," he said.
He said it was not enough for the Government merely to respect its international obligations to those seeking refugee status. It should remember the hundreds of thousands of Irish people who were welcomed in foreign countries. Asylum-seekers have travelled from some of those countries to the Republic.
"There is always room for acceptance on humanitarian grounds," he said. "I am appealing to the Minister for Justice to use the principle of reciprocity."
Mr Shatter stated recently that he hoped Fine Gael would be in a position after the next election "to address the issue of asylum applications in a more constructive manner". He was replying to his party colleague, the Limerick-based Senator Mary Jackman, who has made representations on Dr Edeha's behalf.
Dr Edeha has also received messages of support from Mr John Cushnahan MEP; the Fine Gael leader, Mr Michael Noonan; and Ms Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Mr Des O'Malley TD of the Progressive Democrats, his party colleague, Ms Liz O'Donnell, and the Labour Party TD, Ms Jan O'Sullivan, have also made representations on Dr Edeha's behalf.