Asylum fingerprints move slammed

ASYLUM SEEKERS rights are being abused under a system whereby records of their fingerprints will be kept on a European database for 10 years, civil liberty groups warned yesterday.

Fingerprinting of asylum seekers was first introduced in November 2000 but a European database, known as Eurodac, comes into operation in Ireland today.

The system will allow immigration gardaí share fingerprinting records with all other EU countries and enable the authorities identify and deport asylum seekers who have already had their cases rejected by other member states.