Claims that asylum seeker payments could double

The weekly allowance paid to asylum seekers could more than double under proposals being examined by the government-appointed expert working group on the protection process, it has been claimed.

As the State marks 15 years of the direct provision system today, UCD law lecturer Dr Liam Thornton, who is involved in the humanrights.ie website, said he believed a number of differently graded increases to the weekly allowance were now being considered.

Writing on humanrights.ie, he said he received documentation some weeks ago, which he said he had confirmed through different sources as information being considered by the working group on the protection process, chaired by retired High Court judge Bryan McMahon.