The Minister for Justice, John O'Donoghue, has accused Fine Gael of making misleading comments in its policy paper on asylum and immigration. Fine Gael claimed the Government's asylum policy was in turmoil because the current procedures were totally inadequate to deal with the numbers applying here. Mr O'Donoghue described Fine Gael's contribution as belated. He said he had increased staffing significantly, put in place an appeals mechanism, provided legal aid and also health care facilities.
Today, Fine Gael proposed a radical change to the way in which this country deals with people seeking asylum and also immigrants who want to come to live and work here. It proposed Fine Gael proposed that two new application centres be opened at Rosslare and Shannon; and a deadline be introduced for processing the applications. The party also proposed the setting up of an Immigration Service, which would make it easier for an estimated 10,000 non-EU nationals per year, to meet the skills requirements of the economy.
Fine Gael claims that the Government's current procedures are totally inadequate. Saying, of 5,500 applications for asylum made in 1999, only seven had been granted by November.
