The real problem with many asylum seekers

LIKE other socialist/liberal commentators, Harry McGee tries to shift the focus from the real problem with regard to the citizenship referendum to be held in June (Irish Examiner, April 23).

By far the most serious problem is the large number of asylum-seeking women who, when eight months pregnant, are permitted the full social welfare benefits available in this state the only difference being that 90% of them are found eventually to be economic migrants and, as such, do not have authorisation to be here in the first place.

Up to that eight-month point, those pregnant asylum-seekers are only entitled to 'direct provision' in effect, not only will their child achieve instant Irish /EU citizenship, when born, but we are conferring a monetary bonus on those women who choose to have their children here, before their asylum applications are administrated.

The 'pregnancy tourism' that has become an issue since the Good Friday Agreement is most perverse and blatant manifestation of the shambles that our lenient asylum policy has become.

A 'yes' vote in the forthcoming referendum will send out the word to the traffickers that this country has closed the open-door that the likes of Harry McGee are intent on keeping open.

Eoin McMahon,

Northumberland Road,

Dublin 4.