Asylum seekers to Ireland double the EU average

IRELAND remains a popular country for people seeking asylum, especially Nigerians, according to EU figures just released.

When compared to the population, Ireland attracted the eighth highest percentage of people from outside the EU seeking asylum.

This was double the EU average, but well less than countries like Malta and Cyprus, which take the brunt of people trying to get into Europe from Africa in particular.

A total of 3,865 people applied for asylum, with the single largest group – 26% or 1,010 people – coming from Nigeria.

The next single largest groups were 6% (235) from Pakistan and 5% (205) from Iraq.

Last year the authorities dealt with 4,790 applications for asylum and granted it to 1,465 people, or about one-third.

This was slightly more than the EU average, although Ireland gave very few refugee status, instead giving them permission to remain in the state for humanitarian reasons.

In all, 238,365 people sought asylum in the EU with Iraqis being the single largest group followed by Russians and Somalis.

The trend of certain nationalities favouring specific countries continued with Russians making up most applicants in Poland and Lithuania, Serbians favouring Hungary and Luxembourg, while Bulgaria got a high number of Iraqis.