Government stalled over taking in more ‘boat people’

THE reluctance of the 1980 government to take in more Vietnamese refugees is apparent in documents that show ministers repeatedly stalled on committing to open the country’s doors a second time.

A total of 212 “boat people” had been brought to Ireland the previous year at the request of the United Nations but as the refugee crisis continued, host countries were under pressure to accept more.

Documents state repeatedly the difficulties associated with the project. “The Department of Defence have indicated that resettlement is going to be more difficult (and therefore more costly) than first thought,” is a statement that appears time and again.