Asylum system criticised for putting children at risk

IRELAND’S asylum system and the way it treats unaccompanied children has been criticised by the European Commission, which has suggested it threatens the rights of the most vulnerable across the EU.

Ireland is being referred to the European Court of Justice for not introducing the minimum standards needed for deciding whether to grant or withdraw refugee status to people arriving in the country.

It accepts less than 8% of asylum applications – one of the lowest in the EU – and has one of the longest application procedures.