Sophie Magennis

6 results

A ruined street in the al-Katerji district of Aleppo, Syria. Photograph: Abdalrhman Ismail/Reuters
Desperate conditions in Syria compel migrants to flee

For four years, Sami lived with the daily sound of mortars rattling his fourth floor apartment in Damascus. “Every day, every hour, people were dying(...)

‘There is rightly much pride in the life-saving work of the LÉ Eithne and its crew.’ Above, migrants wait to disembark from the Irish Naval ship LÉ Eithne at the Catania harbour, on June 16th, 2015. Photograph: AP Photo/Carmelo Imbesi
Mediterranean crisis reflects escalating migration worldwide

Footage of Irish naval personnel rescuing women, men and children in peril at sea has brought the crisis in the Mediterranean closer to home. There is(...)

Sophie Magennis, UNHCR Ireland’s head of office, called for the length of time asylum seekers spend awaiting decisions on their asylum applications to be reduced, in order to limit the negative effects highlighted in the ‘Towards a New Beginning’ report. Photograph: Eric Luke
Long stays in direct provision lead to dependency, says UNHCR

The length of time asylum seekers spend in State-funded accommodation is leading to dependency and disempowerment among some of those seeking protect(...)

UNHCR Ireland head of office Sophie Magennis: “This is further proof of the Irish Government’s commitment to finding solutions for refugees around the world.” Photograph: Eric Luke
Government agrees to resettle 220 refugees

The UN’s refugee agency last night welcomed the State’s decision to resettle 220 refugees in 2015 and 2016, including many from war-torn Syria. The a(...)

Sophie Magennis, head of office with UNHCR in Ireland, said alternative dispute resolution could be considered as a way of reducing the backlog of cases at the High Court.. Photograph: Eric Luke
High Court facing 4½-year asylum case backlog, conference hears

It would take more than 4½ years to clear the backlog of 1,000 asylum cases in the High Court, a conference heard yesterday. Delays in hearing appeal(...)

Alan Shatter: had a strained relationship with the judiciary
New asylum regulations ‘will speed up application process’

The Government has introduced new procedures aimed at speeding up the processing of 3,800 asylum seekers ’ cases. Regulations came into force today th(...)