The Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney, should be supported in the humanitarian approach she has adopted to the treatment of illegal immigrants in this State. Extending the right to work to asylum seekers who have been waiting for more than six months to have their applications processed is, in truth, a minimal response. Had it applied in certain other countries in years past, it would have grievously injured the ability of Irish emigrants to make their way in the world. And yet, this modest change in our draconian anti-immigration laws is being opposed by the Department of Justice on the grounds that it is too generous and would encourage asylum-seekers to come here. The crude and authoritarian attitude which it exemplifies has informed policy on illegal immigrants at the Department of Justice for many years. It is currently being articulated by the Minister, Mr O'Donoghue.
The Cabinet failed to agree on proposals brought before it last Monday by the Tanaiste because of objections from Mr O'Donoghue and a number of other Fianna Fail Ministers. There were two elements in what Ms Harney proposed: that work permits for non-EU citizens be introduced on a statutory basis under which Irish employers could cope with specific labour shortages; and that the right to work should be granted to those asylum seekers waiting for more than six months to have their applications processed. It was the section dealing with asylum seekers that drew opposition. The size of the problem is relatively small; over the past five years, 432 applications for asylum have been formally granted, 1,600 have been refused, 2,700 have been withdrawn and more than 5,000 are pending.
A public campaign in favour of such a concession has been orchestrated by more than 100 organisations, including the main Churches, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the National Organisation for the Unemployed. Existing policies were forcing asylum seekers into a culture of dependency and were sowing the seeds of a virulent racism in our cities, they said. Asylum seekers were forced to live on social welfare and were provided with emergency housing by health boards. As a consequence, they were regarded as "scroungers" and "layabouts" within inner city communities. Evidence also emerged that some were being exploited by unscrupulous employers.
Five weeks ago, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, appeared to display a humane understanding of the situation when he visited a refugee centre in his Dublin inner-city constituency. Educating young adults in the plight of asylum seekers was, he said, an important ingredient in creating a caring, multi-cultural society. He went on: "There must be nothing more frightening than to be a stranger in a strange land. To be without family or friends, to be homeless and hungry. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to try and pull the threads of your life together, without even the comfort of understanding the language spoken all around you".
In the context of Monday's Cabinet discussion, the question arises: did the Taoiseach mean what he said? If he did, he will have an early opportunity to throw his influence and authority behind the proposal to grant work permits to asylum seekers. The Tanaiste is determined to revisit the issue at an early date. Proposals may be brought back to Cabinet within a matter of weeks.