Sir, – We welcome the news and that work on the new Immigration Residence and Protection Bill is at an advanced stage (Home News, January 7th) and the earlier announcement (November 15th, 2013) that new procedures have been introduced to speed up the processing of applications for asylum. The situation up to now, whereby asylum seekers have had to wait for years to have a decision on their applications, has been totally unacceptable.
The direct provision system, originally intended to accommodate asylum-seekers for a maximum of six months, has become in effect an inhumane imprisonment. This, coupled with the fact asylum-seekers may not work or receive training, has been soul- destroying, and there is good evidence that their mental and physical health has suffered. The forced inactivity, together with the complete uncertainty about their future, is cruel, completely undermining and disheartening .
We urge that asylum-seekers, whose waiting period for a decision on their application is longer than six months, should be given the right to work and to receive training, and that provision to this effect should be included in the new Bill. – Yours, etc,
MÁIRE MULCAHY,
On behalf of the Faith in
Action Group,
Dennehys Cross Parish,
Model Farm Road,
Cork.