Support groups alliance protests to Taoiseach over amended Refugee Act

The Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway is part of a new west of Ireland alliance which has sent a letter of protest to the Taoiseach over the amended Refugee Act.

In a strongly worded letter, the new Alliance of Refugee Support Groups (West of Ireland) says the disadvantages faced by dispersed asylum-seekers will be increased through the new powers of detention and deportation in the amended legislation.

"We are still awaiting the dispersal of the basic legal, linguistic or medical services to which asylum-seekers are entitled," says the letter, which was sent to the Taoiseach last week. Under the amended Refugee Act 1996, failed asylum-seekers may be held in 22 designated Garda stations around the State, as well as in prisons.

The policy of dispersal and direct provision for asylum-seekers was first introduced as an "emergency" measure a year ago by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

In July of this year, the UN Human Rights Committee in Geneva criticised it, arguing that it could lead to the severe restriction of a person's freedom of movement within the State. It said this would contravene Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which Ireland has ratified. The west of Ireland alliance believes the absence of adequate legal advice and support for dispersed asylum-seekers is prejudicial to the success of their application for refugee status.

It says it is common for asylum-seekers to attend their substantive interview with no legal advice or preparation. Lack of interpreting facilities also prejudices access to proper medical care and satisfactory understanding of the procedures governing their lives in Ireland.

The alliance believes asylum seekers should not only have the automatic right to work here after six months but should be allowed to find private rented accommodation after that period.

"The current regulations amount to detention in all but name," the letter says, referring to the conditions under which asylum-seekers must live on £15 a week, in addition to accommodation provided for by the Department.

The alliance is facilitated by Dr Joshua Castellino of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway and comprises voluntary support groups in the west. Its objectives include provision of a platform from which to lobby the Government on asylum policy, and provision of a support network for voluntary groups working with, and on behalf of, dispersed asylum-seekers.

Ms Geraldine Mitchell of the Westport Refugee Support Group said that having the enthusiastic backing of the human rights centre at the university was a "huge boost". "No voluntary group working on its own could hope to have the breadth of knowledge in the human rights field that we will have access to through the centre," she said. "Its interest in our work reduces our sense of isolation straight away."