Rise of 7% in refugees seeking asylum
A total of 7,213 people applied for asylum here in the first eight months of the year, compared to 6,714 in the same period last year. According to new statistics by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, most industrialised nations, including EU countries, the US and Australia, have seen a sharp drop in the numbers claiming asylum in the first six months of 2002.
The latest figures show that Britain remains the most popular destination for asylum seekers worldwide, with over 51,500 applications since the start of the year, followed by Germany, the US, France and Austria. Ireland is ranked 12th in a list of 29 countries.
Overall, the total number of people applying for asylum in industrialised nations fell by 12% on the previous six months, to just over 268,000. Three-quarters of all refugees worldwide apply for asylum in western European countries, with one in five choosing Britain. While the six-month figures for January-June 2002 show the number of asylum seekers in Ireland fell by 8%, a sharp rise in the number of applications in the past two months has pushed the overall total 7% ahead of the same period last year.
The Department of Justice received applications from 1,133 refugees in July and a further 995 in August.
Immigration sources claim the increase is linked to Operation Hyphen the recent Garda crackdown on illegal immigrants, which resulted in about 140 arrests. They believe many people who were previously unknown to the Irish authorities have now formally applied for refugee status to avoid the risk of deportation.
However, Peter O'Mahony of the Irish Refugee Council said he was sceptical that the increase in July and August figures was a result of Operation Hyphen. "I would be surprised if a significant number of previously unknown immigrants have applied for asylum in the past few weeks. Even if they did, it would not account for the total increase."
Mr O'Mahony said the sudden rise in the number of recent asylum seekers was more than likely a statistical blip. "The remarkable thing about the number of asylum seekers coming to Ireland is that the figures have remained consistent over the past few years," he added.
The Irish Refugee Council also expressed concern that a majority of people granted asylum in Ireland had to go through the appeal process before having their refugee status
confirmed. Across Europe, there has been a more pronounced decrease in the number of people claiming asylum in the first six months of the year, especially in some countries which recently elected right-wing governments containing parties with strong immigration policies.
The numbers claiming asylum in Denmark dropped dramatically, with applications falling by 49%, followed by Greece (-47%), the Netherlands (-28%), Belgium (-26%), Germany (-24%) and Spain (-22%). However, an upward trend was evident in Finland (+59%), Austria (+13%) and France (+3%).
Globally, Iraq accounts for the largest number of new refugees, with almost 23,000 Iraqis seeking asylum already this year, followed by Afghans and immigrants from the Former Republic of Yugoslavia.
In Ireland, Nigeria, Romania and the former Soviet republic of Moldova remain the main country of origin of asylum-seekers.
