Cllrs debate ‘fair’ asylum application process

Meath County Council have agreed to a notice of motion calling on the Government to create “a fair, just and humane” asylum application process that helps those in need and identifies those who falsely apply for asylum in this country.

The motions were in the names of Aontú Cllr Emer Tóibín and independent Cllr Gillian Toole.

Cllr Toole said there were areas of lack of capacity in the country in health, education and housing. In terms of health, access to GPs was “not there”. Emergencies did not occur by appointment, they could occur out of hours and there were problems in A&Es where there were long waiting times. There were also long waiting lists for speech and language therapists.

There were problems of protection for people coming from war-torn areas. There were also problems of capacity in many schools in Meath. Issues had arisen where some people coming into the country destroyed documentation. It was the case that no one could board a flight anywhere in the world without having proper documentation, she said. Human trafficking was a serious issue.

Those who were presenting false documentation were denying other people who had a legitimate case for entry to the country. There were many factors militating against an already overburdened system, she said. The integration of people into existing communities had to be “dealt with properly”.

Cllr Tóibín said that many Irish people wanted to help people who were fleeing war and famine and who were in need. Many refugees had been welcomed and integrated into communities in many parts of Ireland.

However, the way the Government has handled the asylum process had been below standard in many areas. Refugees were often located in working class areas where services were already under pressure. One problem was the long waiting time for asylum processes to be handled. She felt that those of a tiny minority who presented false documentation were only taking vital resources from those who had genuine applications to make.

Fine Gael Cllr Yemi Adenuga said that she had a problem with the wording of the notice of motion. The wording in the motion did not match the presentation made in the council chamber. The motion could be amended to ask for “an improved process”. She felt the motion should read that the council calls on the Government to review with a view to improving the asylum application process and to take out the words “fair, just and humane”.

In her view there had been “so much dangerous rhetoric” language used around the asylum process.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Aisling Dempsey said the Irish people had done their duty with regard to asylum seekers. She did not think the system was unfair, unjust and inhumane. She felt that an improved system and better consultation was what was needed.

Fine Gael Cllr Noel French said he would not be associated with the motion tabled by Cllrs Toole and Tóibín.

The fact was that Ireland had welcomed many people here who were fleeing war, starvation and religious persecution. “When we Irish went abroad in previous decades and centuries we weren’t looked on as to whether we were false asylum seekers or not”. The system might not be perfect but he would prefer it to anything else.

Independent Cllr Alan Lawes said that although he knew Cllrs Toole and Tóibín had good intentions he would not be in favour of the motion “because it might attract the wrong sort of support”.

Cllr Adenuga’s amendment, seconded by Cllr Maria Murphy, was agreed by the majority of councillors.