A Senior Department of Justice official has expressed concern that staff dealing with asylum-seekers were "in danger of being demonised", writes Patsy McGarry.
Mr Sean Aylward, director general of the prison service, told the Dail Sub-Committee on Human Rights of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday he had "headed up that section [of the Department of Justice] dealing with the immigration issue until July". He said officials there dealing with refugees were being "bad mouthed".
He rejected any suggestion of racism on the part of officials. "Racism does not prevail. It is not encouraged or tolerated in any way," he said. The officials concerned had received a lot of training in dealing with immigrants and were "reminded at all times to show total respect".
