Refugee tribunal maintains secrecy after internal row

THE Refugee Appeals Tribunal is to maintain its policy of secrecy around the way it handles cases despite internal disagreement over the way it has operated.

Tribunal chairman John Ryan yesterday faced calls for his resignation and for the disbandment of the entire body, after it emerged some members were on the verge of taking him to court to challenge aspects of his management. The tribunal works through a board of 32 lawyers who are paid on a per-case basis to adjudicate on appeals by asylum seekers whose applications to stay in Ireland are refused.

A row had been simmering for the past two and a half years over claims members were taking widely different approaches to cases.

One member whose record was queried in court by three asylum seekers he rejected was said not to have upheld a single appeal.

Mr Ryan refused to release statistics detailing the rejection rates of individual members and it emerged yesterday three members, including former director of public prosecutions Eamon Barnes and former government minister Michael O’Kennedy, were on the point of taking him to court to clarify the issue when that particular case was suddenly settled.

The Irish Refugee Council yesterday called for his resignation, calling his position “untenable” and said cases already decided by the tribunal should be reviewed. IRC chief executive Robin Hanan said: “The IRC has for some time expressed concerns about the way in which decisions are made and the cloud of secrecy surrounding the whole process.

“The Refugee Appeals Tribunal is dealing with what could be life or death decisions for people coming to Ireland seeking protection from danger. These concerns have now been confirmed in a very disturbing and public way.”

Fine Gael spokesman on immigration Denis Naughten said the tribunal should be scrapped. “It is imperative an independent immigration appeals system is established immediately to ensure that the State has fair procedures, can save money, reduce the number of court challenges and provide a more efficient and cost-effective immigration system,” he said.

However, Mr Ryan confirmed the tribunal would persist with its policy of not disclosing statistics. “The tribunal is an independent statutory body exercising a quasi-judicial function, accordingly, it is considered inappropriate to publish the information requested in relation to individual members,” he said.