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Updated at 6pm
THE COUNTRY’S FIRST supervised drug injecting centre will be operated by Merchants Quay Project, the HSE announced this morning.
Merchants Quay already provides a drop-in service, Night Cafe and other supports for people who are homeless and struggling with addiction issues in Dublin.
Its support centre is based at the Riverbank building on the quayside of the Liffey.
The new facility will provide access to clean, sterile injecting equipment and have trained staff on hand to provide emergency care in the event of an overdose. Staff will also provide advice on treatment and rehabilitation.
Proponents of such centres argue that they also help alleviate the problems associated with injecting on the street, including drug-related litter.
There are over 100 such clinics around the world (the first ‘official’ one was opened in Switzerland in 1986) and most are located in European countries.
An evaluation group established to review the tenders for the project included HSE Procurement, HSE Social Inclusion, an academic expert, An Garda Síochana, Dublin City Council and an external public health expert.
It is envisaged that the preferred bidder will operate the facility for an 18 month period, by means of a licence to be granted under the Misuse of Drugs (Supervised Injection Facilities) Act 2017.
Three deadlines for the announcement of who would be awarded the tender to operate the centre have been missed in recent months.
Announcements had been expected in November and December, with the HSE initially saying that the pilot project was anticipated to open before the end of 2017.
The opening of a pilot project has been a part of government drug policy for several years.
The 2016 Programme for Government explicitly stated that the current government “will support a health-led rather than criminal justice approach to drugs use including legislating for injection rooms”.
However, the plans met a number of snags, including delays in legislation and resistance from local businesses.
New laws needed to be passed to make the operation of such centres possible in Ireland – that happened last May, and the management and operation of a pilot centre was put out to tender by the HSE in August.
Planning
It emerged late last year that planning permission would be required for whichever organisation won the tender to operate the project.
The Dublin Business Alliance – a lobby group made up of the Licensed Vintners Association, the Restaurants Association and the Temple Bar Company – has been vocally opposed to the introduction of supervised injecting centres, and sought a number of Section 5 Declarations in relation to planning laws around the centres.
Essentially, a Section 5 Declaration is lodged to determine whether planning permission is needed to change the use of a premises into an injecting centre.
It was determined that for a number of premises listed in the tendering process, planning permission would have to be sought before an injecting centre could be opened there.
The DBA argued that the laws underpinning injecting centres are not properly thought out.
The Ana Liffey Drug Project, which researched and originated the legislation to underpin the setting up a pilot injecting centre, had also tendered for the project.
“This is an important public health initiative for responding to this reality of people injecting drugs on our streets,” Minister of State for the National Drugs Strategy Catherine Byrne said in a statement today.
This pilot facility seeks to bring vulnerable people into a safe and clean supervised setting while also helping to reduce drug litter and open injecting in our communities.
The establishment of a pilot supervised injecting facility is a key action in Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, our health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland.
It is also in line with the Programme for a Partnership Government. This is a very welcome development and critical to the success of this pilot initiative will be the engagement with all stakeholders, including the local community.
Dr Eamon Keenan, National Clinical Lead of HSE Addiction Services, said today’s announcement was ”a significant public health development in Ireland” which would allow “a marginalised group of society, injecting drug users who may be homeless, to access a harm reduction service that will improve their health, access them into a range of medical and social services, and contribute towards a reduction in drug related deaths”.
‘Wrong decision’
But some were not happy.
Independent Dublin City Councillor Cieran Perry said he was disappointed that the HSE continued with the process of opening a supervised injection centre in Dublin.
Perry said “This is the wrong decision. There is no evidence based research that Supervised Injection Centres work and I believe they normalise drug use at a time when we should be encouraging detox and rehab. The money spent on this facility would be far better spent on funding services to help those suffering from addiction.”
Today’s HSE statement said that a key element in the success of the pilot would be “a demonstration of consultation and ongoing engagement with local stakeholders from the surrounding area”.
Merchants Quay Project will be required to have in place a specific plan in this regard and will be required to employ a community liaison worker to engage local businesses, communities and residents in a meaningful manner.
An external evaluation of the pilot phase of the facility will be carried out by an independent agent engaged by the HSE.
It added that specific structures would be put in place to ensure proper “operational, clinical and supervisory governance arrangements”.
This will include a clinical governance committee to ensure the facility is providing “appropriate clinical intervention to attendees and that these interventions are in line with international best practice”.
‘Positive step’
CEO of Merchants Quay Ireland Tony Geoghegan said:
“With one person a day dying from a drug overdose, this is a real positive step in taking a proactive and progressive approach to drug policy. Truly it will save lives.
We know that engagement with drug treatment works, however successful treatment and rehabilitation is only possible if someone is still alive.
This opening of a supervised injecting facility (SIF) shows that as a society we are putting some of Ireland’s most vulnerable people first and providing a much needed service.
Tony Duffin, the CEO of Ana Liffey Drug Project, said it was an “historic day for people who inject drugs in Dublin and for addiction services in Ireland”.
“We will support our friends at Merchants Quay Ireland in their work to establish the pilot Dublin medically supervised injecting centre and we will work to help them ensure it is a success.
This service is designed to improve public amenity, improve the health of people who use it and be cost effective. Now the focus must turn to ensuring that it delivers these outcomes, so that other medically supervised injecting centres may be licensed as soon as possible.
In line with protocol, a 14-day standstill will now be observed prior to the formal award, the HSE said.
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They are passing through how many safe countries to get to England. Choosing where they want to stay. The legal professionals are milking this same as Ireland. Most of them are young. Do they leave the women behind to fight the wars.
The journal took down my original comment. Probably some of there family members works in the legal business. I’m probably bad for business speaking the truth.
@John finn: Talk about an inflated sense of ego coupled with ridiculous levels of paranoia!!! You think you’re “bad for business”…lol. You literally just made up a situation that doesn’t exist and placed yourself at the centre of it. You should consider a career in writing fiction.
@John finn: “the truth”… here we go.
@John finn: another brainless big mouth
@John Byrne: … he’s not, you are one though.
@John finn: big mouth strikes again
Almost 3/4 of the comments here were deleted. Almost none of which were violating the rules of the website. However they were critical of our government, the EU and those profiting from other people’s misfortune
@The ghost of Ireland’s past: My comment was deleted and it didn’t criticise any institution or any person.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: it was probably part of a thread where one of the racists posted and yours got deleted with it. They kill entire threads sometimes.
@John John: because there’s more than one, right?
@John John: I get what you’re saying I think, but wouldn’t go that far
And you can delete our comments all you want. Normal, decent people everywhere are waking up. We don’t care anymore
@The ghost of Ireland’s past: no… normal, decent people are your antithesis lad! It’s the contrarians, aholes, racists, etc you have aligned yourself with.Sure your usually on here posting for russia ffs! You’re definitely not among the normal decent people with that pro russia nonsense and you well know it!
@The ghost of Ireland’s past: Trust me, most of us are having a lovely sleep before we wake up and move on with our lives in a constantly changing society. This is the way.
My comment critical of the government, not the migrants was removed. Fascinating state of affairs
@Irish Harp: keep it PG.
@Irish Harp: Sweet tune. need a hug or something?
@The ghost of Ireland’s past: The best thing you can do for your son is try and get him through college and then onto the first plane out of here. That’s what I will do with my kid. No point having them stick around for a life of hardship. That’s all that’s ahead for our kids unfortunately.
@John John: I will send you a postcard.
@John John: You are a great man for the lol-ing.
@John John: I’ll pay for your ticket.
@David Corrigan: Hardship? You sound weak.
@John John: One way.
@Iano C: Far from weak my cute little tree hugging friend.
@David Corrigan: You just said in another comment to me not to label people. And that was after you just labelled me here? You’re exactly the type of person I think you are…a hateful hypocrite.
@Iano C: I was being nice to you as I thought that’s what you like? Sorry My bad.
@David Corrigan: pretty clear case of being a hypocrite there David. Maybe just own it?
@Bill Spill: 100%…and now he’s trying to wriggle out of it. Typical.
@David Corrigan: Give up your dreams and work in pharma or insurance, pretend you care for 40 years, retire and be board because ‘the job’ was your life. An old and effective model that keeps the lads in a range of ivory back scratchers.
@David Corrigan: Poland’s ruling party wants to ask voters in a referendum whether they support accepting “thousands of illegal immigrants from the Middle East and Africa” as part of a European Union relocation plan. News source- why doesn’t everyone get the same choice?? Only fair
Brexit broke Britain. And yet we have some here who think leaving the EU would turn Ireland into some sort of utopia!
@Anthony Curran: we’ll end up following the same path as UK if our government doesn’t start paying heed to and addressing our concerns, soon.
@Lorne Malvo:
Dream on
@P.J. Nolan: David Cameron bet his career on it. He lost.
@Lorne Malvo: the whole uk lost tbf
@Bill Spill: there is no denying that.
@Anthony Curran: Lol! Irish and utopia in the same sentence? Were far too an embittered, subservient people for such ‘straight-necked’ ideas. They pay for some roads and help our economy look bigger than our 5 million population. Sort of like callipers on a kid with Polo.
@Lorne Malvo: yep. Seeing pig-head-fcuker’s career crash wasn’t enough of a silver lining, but it’s not nothing :)
@Bill Spill: mismanagement of the process and loony persistent propaganda of doom and gloom doesn’t erase the justified reasons that motivated a majority to vote to leave the bloc. Also based on how its behaving toward member states since around 2009, its a miracle that support for the Eu Isnt falling quicker
@Sweet Cheese: most Irish abroad are there legally and contributing to the local economy. Any Irish found to be living illegally abroad will be shipped home.
It’s a simple concept that Leo and the lads can’t seem to grasp. Leo actually accepted recently that there are known illegal immigrants here that can’t be returned home for one reason or another. It’s a complete shit show.
@Lorne Malvo: Sweet Cheese? Any the comment was meant for Tom Thumb
@Lorne Malvo: Just shows how poorly informed you are. Undocumented Irish in the US. Read a book.
@Iano C: and if caught they will be shipped home and rightly so. What book do you want me to read?
@Iano C: and you post makes little sense.
@Lorne Malvo: Again, showing your ignorance. The US has issued multiple amnesties over the years to address the undocumented. So, no, they didn’t deport them. You need to take control of your own quest for knowledge, pal. Grow up.
@Iano C: I personally know 2 people that have been deported from the US. So yes they do deport illegals. If a person is eligible and puts themselves forward for the amnesty then they are legally entitled to remain. They are no longer illegal.
@Iano C: I can’t believe that you are that naive to think that the US doesn’t deport illegal Irish Immigrants. Maybe you should read a book and or two. Here’s a little extract from a 2019 Irish Time article “Undocumented immigrants across the United States have been on high alert as immigration officials began a sweep on thousands of people living in the country illegally on Sunday.
The clampdown is focusing on cities with high immigrant populations including New York, Chicago and Miami.”
@Lorne Malvo: But they are there illegally and don’t get deported. Try to keep up with the basic logic of an argument, if you can.
@Iano C: and if they don’t meet the criteria for the amnesty, what then? In times of no amnesty and they get caught, as in my two mates, what then? They get deported.
@Iano C: if the are accepted for the amnesty they are no longer a persona non grata. What part of that can you not understand?
@Lorne Malvo: Oh dear. You’re stuck in a loop….stuck in a loop.
@Lorne Malvo: So , if the Irish state offer amnesty to illegal immigrants you’d be fine with that ?
@Ronan Meagle: Jesus Christ. Where did I say that. Someone else brought amnesty in the debate because they think all Irish get it in the US.
@Ronan Meagle: all Illegals should be deported as any illegal Irish abroad are.
Every country needs an intelligent and effective migration and asylum seeker policy. Why is that so difficult for some people to grasp and so difficult for certain European govts to implement?
This is why hard right parties are suddenly finding themselves in power across Europe and that is what will happen here if people don’t cop on.
@ckNAvKEk: They’re all vying for votes, certainly in Ireland politics is reality entertainment. They don’t actually do anything outside of a Word doc. Lowest common denominator policies.
It’s the only boat the Tory government has managed to stop.
If the Journal sees fit to delete a comment or comments could they possibly leave the posters name in place with written below: ‘comment deleted for the following reason……’. It is really annoying when comments just disappear without so much as a ‘by your leave’ (if I may quote Monty Python).
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: I agree. I have always said it that comments on here are generally on point no matter which side of the argument they lie. They should only be removed if they are outrageously bad or insulting.
@John John: Of course pet.
The countries from which these migrants come from need to be tackled more aggressively.
@AnthonyK: Explain.
@John John: What’s an onshore “assist”? Sounds like fun.
And yes Men.. Men … Men.
Men left this country in their droves .. many uneducated. Unvetted and unemployed to cross the seas in search of a better life. Men that left their wives,families and communities.
Unvetted MEN from Ireland are all over the world .
Be Jeepers… imagine that
@Thom Thumb: So if an Irishman moves to Australia, New Zealand, Canada they are unvetted? You obviously don’t do much travelling.
He’s talking about the 1800 and 1900′s – we shouldn’t forget we were in the same boat (excuse the pun) as immigrants from other countries
@James Lough: Ah yea when people used to just rock up to shores on boats and pillage the place? Same comparisons alright.
@John John: He makes more sense than you, turnip.
@OrionD: Incorrect, yet again. Look at the amount of undocumented Irish in the US over the decades, aka illegal immigrants. Stop ignoring the facts to suit your narrative. Educate yourself.
@Iano C: Is that the ones that worked hard with no social benefits??
Illegally? Yes.
@: So we’re only talking about the reserved hatred for unvetted immigration, you’re fine with the majority of immigrants?
@OrionD: if the British quickly processed the applicants the immigrants won’t be sitting idle for 1-3 years.
They would be working and contributing to society. The European average processing time is 6 months.. if the immigrants are illegal/invalid then the.British can reject the application. The British government is responsible for the mess, but don’t let facts get in the way of racists…
@OrionD: The Torries are racist and mislead the British electorate with Brexit.. “Stop the boats” rhetoric is to deflect from the lies and mayhem caused by the fraudulent vote leave campaign. Their next step is threatening to leave the ECHR to further turn up the racist pressure on immigrants with a feeble attempt to stay in power..
@OrionD: I know exactly what the amnesty was, and I happen to agree with it and appreciate the US for being so generous to us. And I respect your lived experience. My point is, which I think you understand, that people cherry pick when it suits them. It’s bias, pure and simple. What about the lived experience of those landing on our shores? How can you speak to that, if you haven’t lived it? Apply your own logic to their situation.
@OrionD: well done on the cut and paste, l’ve seen this posted many times.
@Thom Thumb: men and women who assimilated, unlike across Europe
@Iano C: Are they claiming asylum NO No comparison
Put some engine and send them into the Atlantic.
@The corrector.: What a merciless way to think about other humans.
@Iano C: It’s just bait and bad grammar.
@Thesaltyurchin: Sums it up nicely!
Wonder what the situation /response would be if Ireland had a coast close enough to be reached by the folk ?
And long last after many years of a nation full of Pasty Faced Paddy Potato Heads we now have a vibrant community of multi cultural individuals and families from around the world. All adding to a new and unique definition of what it means to be Irish. Exciting times ahead in the word of sport cultural development and adding to the brain power and friendliness of our unique and every changing country.
@Thom Thumb: Bigoted comments against your own people just shows the bitter hateful lefty that you are.
@Thom Thumb: why don’t you post a photo on your profile of your Pasty Faced Paddy Potato Head then and let’s all have a good laugh at it. There is such a thing as internalised racism. Racism against your own culture. You seem like a likely candidate. If you hate your own culture so much maybe you should have taken the boat yourself.
@Thom Thumb: Why the racist comment against white Irish people?
Personally I think controlled migration can be a good thing but what we have now is completely out of control and no government can put the resources in place quickly enough for the numbers coming. There will be a lot more of these barges (or tented camps) needed as there isn’t the accomodation to house the numbers coming in hotels or houses. All this situation is doing is breaking the social contract between citizen and their government.
@The next small thing: his comments are a lot of things, but not racist.
@The next small thing: Incorrect. We have agreed on a quota, which we can manage. That’s an ACTUAL contract. Try to educate yourself.
@Iano C: Hi Iano, I’ve tried to educate myself but I can’t find the number of international protection applicants Ireland are taking in this year under the ACTUAL contract you mention, maybe, with you being in the know, you can let us all know how many is our quota for this year. I presume there is a definitive number seeing there is an ACTUAL contract in place or is it a certain percentage ( in which case my original point on how can you plan when you have no idea of actual numbers stands).
@Thom Thumb: If you’re trying to take the moral high ground, I wouldn’t start with a racist slur
@Thom Thumb: Fantastic clutch of reactions to a reasonable and fair opinion. Excellent work Thom, and hello flat earthers *waves
@Thom Thumb: these are some of the funniest replies I’ve ever seen on the journal. I used to like wind up toys as a kid. Wind ups are still great fun decades later.
@Thom Thumb: whoever winds you up every morning should do us all a favour and lose the key.
@Thom Thumb: Ireland now a strong hold for Black Axe International fraud gang. Interpol and the gardai arrested 30 odd members including King pins 2 days ago (irish times) in ireland, could be 100s if not 1000s members in the country. Your diverse utopia comes with problems, but keep crapping on your own. Not everyone that comes here comes in good faith.
@Garret Fawl: I assume you’re talking about Pfizer, or Apple or something?
2016. Cologne, Germany. New Years Eve. 1,200 sexual assaults.
@Iano C: by investing aggressively in those countries. For example, get these countries to adopt EU laws and open inward investment that will allow EU businesses to work in these countries, and allow migration from EU countries to theirs which would allow people from the EU with money and the wherewithal to buy property, and or settle there.
Many of these countries are economically stagnant. Economics are the issue.
By the by, a good article on the BBC about 4 Nigerian men using the rudder of a tanker to get out of Nigeria. Little future for them there. 2 remain in Brazil. 2 returned to Nigeria, no doubt to try again somewhere else.
@AnthonyK: Nigeria is wild, I knew a lad when I was living in London who would travel back to dig up cash he had buried in the desert, literally everything is corrupt. Capitalist ideology hit these nations so hard.
Don’t drink the water.
In ireland we are si mature to discuss the big issues like sex abortion gay rights etc etc however when it comes to migrants it all seems to be swept under the rug …..wher is the voice of the people on the matter oh yeah the journal now I feel better
Couldn’t make it up
This never should have been the UK’s problem and the pick and mix effort is already on Irish shores on equal footing. Therefore, much of the negative conferences of this reckless immigration policy will soon be felt here. No matter how softly you deal with it, the real trouble is just around the corner. Even those two poor souls in Sligo, they’d be alive today…
@Sean oSuilleabhain: consequences
Open all the borders. Let all of Africa and Asia in. Feed them, house them, recompense them. Charge everyone born in Europe super taxes, 90% of income. They are privileged. They should pay for the rest of the world.
And then disposess anyone with assets greater than a 3-bed semi.
Or else just nuke the entire of Europe from orbit. It’s the only way to balance the books!
It’s quite amusing, I think John John sets his alarm clock early some days, has his fix of coffee/tea and a breakfast troll.
@I can see clearly now: With a side of loneliness.
@I can see clearly now: Trolls are people too.
You know what? I don’t think these bunch of tories in power are very competent at all… or am I missing some master plan they have?
The concerns of decent people and campaigners … vindicated … Quelle surprise!
Poland’s ruling party wants to ask voters in a referendum whether they support accepting “thousands of illegal immigrants from the Middle East and Africa” as part of a European Union relocation plan. News source- why doesn’t everyone get the same choice?? Seems only fair
@David Corrigan: it must be tiring carrying around so much hate.
@John John: So what’s ur excuse?
@Iano C: It’s not hate. Why are you labelling me like that? Can I not be critial of situations in our own country? Should I just sit back, shut up and nod my head in agreement to your opinions?
@David Corrigan: Convince me it’s not hate with irrefutable facts, please?
@Iano C: I don’t hate anyone. You need to stop labelling people you don’t know. That’s how kicks to the ankles happen.
You have a different opinion to me. You need to understand that, deal with it and accept it.
Do we have an understanding?
@David Corrigan: No, we don’t. If I don’t like what you say or how you say it, I’m going to call you out. Clear enough for you?
@David Corrigan: And yet again, zero facts when asked for them. Unsurprising.
@Iano C: Here’s a fact. I am not a racist or whatever the latest buzz word for your type is today.
That’s a fact. Deal with it.
@David Corrigan: I never called you the “r” word. That’s a fact. I don’t deal in buzz words. Left or Right, I don’t care. Both can be as hateful as the other. I address what people comment, in their own words.
@Iano C: I actually did lie. I do hate one thing. I hate the word HATE.
It’s used for all the wrong reasons today. If someone disagrees with a FG policy for example. It’s not a disagreement. It’s HATE.
It’s stupid and should be called out.
@David Corrigan: you want an example of hate speech? The guff that you spout about immigrants into this country. Always focussing on the negative
Should be used as practice target for the Ukrainian drones.
@The corrector.: (you mean target practise?) You need a new name if you’re gonna consistently get your ‘beans over your sausage’
Ubi dubium ibi libertas, Where there is doubt there is freedom. All of us could do with a lot less ‘certainty’. We don’t need to be right; we need to be educated. A lot of these comments remind me of the Mandalorians; ‘This is The Way’. Ergo, an ideology that nobody questions or probes. That has hardly served our country well in the past. See you all at the campfire for a come-all-ye, bring an acoustic and lets just celebrate being alive together,
A Day at the Racists.
Something something Suella Braverman. Considering she is of a minority ethnic background, she certainly harbours a lot of prejudice particularly towards gay people. meh standard Tory stuff
sunak hasn’t the balls to deport them
@michael breen: hasn’t the balls to process their applications in good time, you mean.
@michael breen: He’s married to a billionaire heiress, he doesn’t need balls.
@michael breen: who needs balls? They are weak.
@John finn: you mean like the Irish in the States?
@: That’s them. Every last one of them work hard for what they have as they can’t live off the state there.
@David Corrigan: But still illegally, yeah?
@Iano C: Correct. A lot of them are illegal but can’t live off the state. They work hard, create wealth and jobs and usually get the green card in time through marriage or investment.
@David Corrigan: You do see the massive contradiction in what you’re saying, right? What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
@David Corrigan: But this argument you make, in favour of the undocumented/illegal Irish in the US, doesn’t apply to illegal immigrants from other countries who are in other countries? Or does it? Just curious.
@Iano C: You asked me to explain how it works and I did. A few things to note.
1.) You don’t enter the US without a passport.
2.) You can’t claim SW unless you work up your SS.
3.) You get nothing for free there.
You seem to be getting very confused from jumping to every contributor on here and pushing back on their input. Try and slow down a bit and we can debate things properly. Are you ok with that?
@David Corrigan: He’s going to come back asking for irrefutable FACTS to back up your post lol. He wants PROOF that you’re not filled with hate lololol
@David Corrigan: You haven’t told me anything I don’t already know. Pretty basic stuff, but thanks for summarising. And, yet again, you have sidestepped answering my direct question. Are you saying it’s okay for the undocumented Irish in the US, but not for the same situation in other countries? You do understand the question, yes?
@David Corrigan: “Every last one of them work hard” – you can now speak for every illegal Irish person in the US? Delusional.
@Iano C: And where did I ask you to explain how it works? I know how it works. I lived and worked there, legally. Incidentally, if you have a SS, you are “doucmented”. I’m asking you specifically about illegal Irish immigrants and how that’s different to the same situation in other countries. Take your time…
@ckNAvKEk: I just want some semblance of logic.
@David Corrigan: ah yes, that old Irish immigrants good, other immigrants bad racist trope. You do know that the vast vast majority of immigrants who come to Ireland do so to work and contribute? Like the ones who nurse you in hospital, teach our kids at school, developers and coders, accountants, hospitality staff. Need I go on? But you focus on the very few who don’t, and then laughably claim that you’re not a racist. It’s a state of mind, and all you see is negativity – well I assume that’s all you see because all of your posts about immigrants are negative.
@SYaxJ2Ts: vast majority contribute? A study by our own UCD shows that with one particular immigrant group only about 40% of them bother working..
@Maitiú McCann: Please share the link to this study. Will be interesting to see the actual numbers involved and the reasons given.
@SYaxJ2Ts: People like Corrigan, when confronted with their own words, always shy away from actually saying what they really mean.
@Maitiú McCann: unemployment rate amongst immigrant population 5.9% in 2022. One % point higher than the native Irish population. So yes, the vast majority come here to work and contribute.
@Iano C: yep, doesn’t have the balls to admit his thinly veiled prejudice
@Iano C: Logic, says the man who thinks no illegal Irish are deported from the US. But but… the Amnesty, he says. You haven’t a clue mate.
@Lorne Malvo: Incorrect, yet again, Lorne. You’re outdoing yourself today! Please point out where I said no illegal Irish have been deported from the US. I’ll spell it out for you: the illegal and undocumented Irish in the US have been treated with compassion by the authorities. The commenters on here seem to cherry pick to whom that same treatment should be applied i.e. it’s grand if you’re Irish in another country but not if you’re coming to Ireland from other countries. Is that clear enough for you?
The notion that processing asylum applications at a faster rate will solve the accommodation problem is an attractive notion that doesn’t stack up unless we can radically reform the ‘gatekeeper’ procedures for judicial review and find a way of rapidly removing or deporting failed asylum-seekers who fail to return home. At the moment (it is difficult to calculate the ratio exactly from the published figures) but new applicatants are arriving at a rate of between 4 and 5 times the rate the assessment system is capable of delivering final decisions on the credibility of applications.
If the time scales recommended by the Day Report are to be met, far greater resources will need to be provided to the assessment system and the Legal Aid Board and access to JR radically curtailed.
have your say