Sir - Kevin Myers (An Irishman's Diary, September 27th) takes me to task for use of the term "asylum-seekers" at last Sunday's forum on racism in Westport, Co Mayo. In doing so he accuses me of getting basic terminology wrong.
The term asylum-seeker refers to those seeking refugee status. It is a term defined in international and Irish law. Mr Myers may feel that the majority of applicants are not actually entitled to refugee status and that they are really economic migrants, but that is beside the point. It is important, as he says, not to confuse subjective opinion with facts.
Of course racism is an issue of concern to economic migrants and racist yobs do not differentiate between asylum-seeking refugees and economic migrants.
My use of the term "asylum-seekers" was very deliberate because my audience included many such people based in Cong, Co Mayo, currently awaiting the outcome of their application for asylum in this country. - Yours, etc.,
Seamus Dooley, Irish Organiser, National Union of Journalists, Liberty Hall, Dublin 1.