The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms Liz O'Donnell, has commended this week's contribution by four bishops to the debate on human rights and justice for asylum-seekers.
The refugee committee of the Irish Bishops' Conference was highly critical of document controls on Irish Ferries sailings from Cherbourg in France to Rosslare, which have led to a dramatic drop in asylum claims at the Co Wexford port.
The bishops asked the Government to abandon its plans to introduce fines for carriers of undocumented migrants such as airlines and ferry companies as these would "almost certainly drive asylum-seekers into the hands of traffickers".
Ms O'Donnell said she did not fully approve of the bishops' description that the State had erected "a glass wall of exclusion" around its frontiers. However, she welcomed all interventions of wider civil society in this social policy area. She said: "It's not something that Government alone can deal with and I believe that it is appropriate for the bishops, in this instance, from a rights perspective, to raise views on this particular procedure in Rosslare.
"This Department's human rights unit raised these concerns at the time of the formulation of this policy and we will continue to monitor the situation."
Ms O'Donnell made her remarks following an event yesterday to mark the first World Refugee Day. She echoed comments made yesterday by her party leader and Tanaiste, Ms Harney, in support of the right to work for asylum-seekers waiting for six months for decisions on their claims.
Ms O'Donnell apologised to asylum-seekers, refugees or immigrants who have experienced racist attacks or taunts which she said the vast majority of Irish people abhorred.
"We had racism in our society long before we had asylum-seekers looking for protection. We Irish have been on the receiving end of racism in many countries. We of all people know how hurtful it is to the person. Racism is wrong, dangerous and illegal. Diversity will be central, I believe, to our national vitality and economic prosperity."
Refugees are people who have shown they are fleeing persecution on grounds defined in the United Nations Geneva Convention. Applicants for refugee status are called asylum-seekers while their cases are being processed.
The UNHCR's senior liaison officer in Ireland, Ms Pia Prutz Phiri, said Ireland had "made big strides in recent years as a country of asylum". She praised Ireland's contributions to the UNHCR's humanitarian assistance and protection activities worldwide. Ireland's contribution rose to £2 million last year and it had made a voluntary core contribution of £3 million this year.