Ireland falls down table of countries receiving asylum claims

Ireland has fallen well down the table of industrialised countries receiving applications from asylum seekers, according to figures published today by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The UNHCR said Ireland received just 4,770 asylum applications last year, a 40% decrease on the figures for 2003.

It said Ireland received the 18th-highest number of applications in 2004, down from 11th-highest in 2003.

The UNHCR said France received the highest number of applications last year, followed by the United States and Britain.

It said the Russian Federation, particularly Chechnya, continued to be main country of origin for asylum seekers, followed by Serbia and Montenegro and China.