Enda Kenny urged to ease migrants’ burden

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been urged to do more to help those coming to Ireland for a better life, following his comments on immigration in the US last week.

Yesterday was International Day Against Racism, and a number of groups marked the occasion by gathering at the gates of Leinster House to back a Dáil motion to bring about an end to direct provision.

The motion, initiated by People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith in association with United Against Racism, has been signed by 36 TDs.

A statement from United Against Racism read: “Speaking with Donald Trump, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that ‘St Patrick is the patron saint of immigrants’.

"We remind the Taoiseach that the asylum seekers in direct provision are immigrants too and Ireland has been keeping them in extreme poverty and inhumane conditions for many years. It’s time for it to end.”

Meanwhile, asylum seekers and immigration lawyers demonstrated outside Leinster House over the new single application process for asylum seekers which was introduced last month and which they are describing as “chaotic” and “shambolic”.

As part of the process, more than 3,000 asylum seekers were sent a 60-page questionnaire last month to be returned within 20 days — and they also need legal counsel to complete this form.

However, uncertainty has emerged over the exact deadline.

There are complaints of poor translation of the form. The Refugee Legal Service has found itself swamped because of the volume of enquiries and asylum seekers have encountered difficulties in retrieving the information within the deadline.

Last year, minister for state with responsibility for immigration, David Stanton, said the new process is “to positively address the crucial issue of the length of time that applicants spend in the protection process and by extension in State-provided accommodation”.

According to Lucky Khambule of Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland, the new application process is about more than efficiency and has introduced “sweeping changes to Ireland’s immigration law”.

“Many of its provisions seem designed to undermine the internationally recognised right to seek asylum,” he said.

“While the Department of Justice insists that the single procedure will speed up the asylum process, fears that this will be achieved through accelerated deportations, unmonitored refusals, and defective, erratic assessment processes are being proven all too accurate.”