System must be handled carefully

IT was understandable that links between fingerprints and criminal activities would lead to allegations that the rights of asylum seekers will be abused under a European-wide database.

The chief cause of concern among civil liberty groups is that a system which comes into operation today will result in records of fingerprints being stored on a European database in Luxembourg for 10 years.

In common with other EU states, Ireland will have access to this facility intended to crack down on people applying for asylum in different countries using different names. Significantly, Gardaí recently secured their first conviction using fingerprinting against an asylum seeker who attempted to apply for asylum twice in Ireland under different names. This clears the way for 300 cases to be brought before the courts.