There has been a call for a "full, absolute root and branch reform" of Ireland's asylum seeker process.
It follows comments made by Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan yesterday, in which he said "too many people" are coming here seeking international protection who are not entitled to it.
Speaking on RTÉ's This Week programme, Mr O'Callaghan that the people who are "really suffering" are those who come here legitimately.
"I have to be honest with people and say that we have a situation where there are too many people seeking international protection who are not entitled to it.
"The people who are really suffering from that, of course, are the people who are legitimately entitled to claim it, who may not be provided with accommodation because of the numbers that are coming in," the minister said.
"So, that’s an area I’m not going to shy away from stating but, in order for it to be given effect, we have to have a procedure which recognises that if you come in and you’re granted international protection, you stay, you’re welcome."
Minister O’Callaghan said: "If you come in and you're refuse international protection, you leave, you’re gone."
He said of the 14,000 applications processed last year, at first instance, over 65% of the asylum seekers were rejected.
"This year, already, in January, over 80 per cent of applications were rejected at first instance."
Minister O'Callaghan said officials in his department estimate that around 15,000 people will arrive in Ireland seeking asylum this year.
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Independent Ireland TD Ken O'Flynn said he believes "the reality of Ireland’s immigration crisis can no longer be ignored" and he called for an urgent reform of the asylum system.
He said: "A full, absolute root and branch reform is needed.
"We have to stop serious criminals with records coming in and making false claims in this country.
"We need to be tightening up those people who are entering the country falsely, that are entering the country, not giving their passports, not giving the correct names, not giving the correct countries that they're entering from," he added.
Mr O'Flynn said Independent Ireland has "consistently called for a firm crackdown on Ireland’s asylum process".
He said while he welcomed the comments by Minister O'Callaghan, he said: "Look, I’m happy to see that it’s happening, but I have to say the Government has dragged their heels on this."
Meanwhile, the Irish Refugee Council (IRC) has said it is concerned by the comments made by Mr O’Callaghan about the number of people coming here seeking asylum.
The CEO of the IRC Nick Henderson, who has written to the minister, said he disagreed with the remarks and said there is a clear fundamental right to apply for asylum, saying it is a cornerstone of international law.
Mr Henderson also said that people seeking asylum should not be blamed for the problems around failing to accommodate people.
He said there have been two High Court decisions that state the Government's failure to provide accommodation is unlawful.
He also said Minister O'Callaghan failed to reference the number of people coming here whose applications were initially rejected, but successful on appeal and he put that figure at 39%.
