Asylum rate near lowest in Europe

ASYLUM seekers are less likely to be granted refugee status or other form of protection in Ireland than almost anywhere else in Europe, according to new EU figures.

The report shows that Ireland has one of the worst records in the EU for granting asylum to refugees. Just 4% of asylum seekers here were granted protection last year – the second lowest rate of any of the 27 EU countries. Only Greece has a poorer record, with just 1% of applicants being granted asylum there.

Overall, 395 out of 6,560 decisions last year were in favour of granting asylum – a positive decision rate of 6% compared with the EU average of 25%.

In Ireland, just 125 out of 3,135 applicants had a positive decision during 2009. In addition, only 270 out of 3,420 applicants who appealed an original rejection to refuse asylum were successful.

Asylum seekers from Iraq were the most successful group accounting for 18% of all positive outcomes.

But Ireland accounted for just 0.5% of all asylum seekers granted some form of recognition by EU member states last year, even though it accounted for 2% of all applications.

Malta recorded the highest rate of recognition at 66%, followed by Slovakia (56%).

New figures highlight how 78,800 asylum seekers were granted protection within the EU last year with 39,300 granted refugee status, 29,900 subsidiary protection and a further 9,600 given authorisation to stay for humanitarian reasons.