When the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Ireland and Britain, Ms Hope Hanlan, finds it necessary to criticise the Government for its failure to condemn racist attacks on asylum seekers and immigrants here, we should be deeply concerned. The Government, she suggests, is "falling down seriously" in its duty. She expresses concern over the growth of racism in Irish society and says the Government should immediately set the record straight when racist allegations are made against asylum seekers and immigrants. But the picture is not entirely negative. Ms Hanlan recognises that important advances have been made within the Department of Justice in its treatment of asylum seekers during the past year. And it has begun to co-operate closely with the UN High Commission for Refugees in the training of additional staff to deal with the problem.
Last weekend, one young black immigrant was set upon and beaten by eight men in Fairview Park. It represented part of a growing catalogue of such assaults. For many of the young, black asylum-seekers living in Dublin's poorer districts, the threat of violence and abuse has become a near permanent feature of their lives. Some have tended to move about the city in groups, which has led to them being labelled as gang-members. And levels of tension are increasing within inner-city communities. It is an intolerable situation when some of these people are being advised by gardai to stay at home at night for their own safety.
The shortcomings of the Department of Justice in dealing with foreigners coming to our shores are well documented. An example has been its failure to implement the main provisions of the Refugee Act, which was passed by the last government, two years ago.
Recent promptings by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the UN High Commission on Human Rights have modified that response. But much of the traditional harshness and rigidity of its approach remains. These shortcomings were compounded by a broader, official policy which appeared designed to concentrate asylum-seekers in particular parts of inner-city Dublin, without providing proper support mechanisms or schemes designed to help them to integrate with local communities.
The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, has consistently rejected suggestions that his Department's approach helps to fuel racist poison against refugees. In spite of that, the publicity accorded to statements from the Department dealing with increased costs and numbers seeking asylum has been almost wholly negative from the immigrants' point of view. The latest communication promised unlimited fines, up to 10 years' imprisonment and the forfeiture of transport used in organised immigrant trafficking. More significantly, it proposed the establishment of a new offence under which anyone who illegally employs an immigrant could be fined up to £50,000 or sent to jail for five years. The latter decision was announced in spite of representations from the Irish Refugee Council and the Association of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Ireland that immigrants should be allowed to work while awaiting official decisions on their applications for refugee status. Even at this late stage, the Government should rethink its approach and not force such people into a situation of dependency. A recent survey indicated that the majority of asylum seekers are well educated and capable of providing for their own needs. They should be encouraged to contribute in a full and positive way to this society. Our own history of emigration demands such a response.