Madam, - Fr John Dardis's very humane characterisation of the problems faced by immigrants and asylum seekers (Opinion & Analysis, June 27th) is in stark contrast to the inflammatory description by Mr Sean Aylward, secretary general of the Department of Justice, of the vast majority of asylum-seekers as "lying through their teeth" in regard to their claims to reside in Ireland.
Mr Aylward's reservations about publishing the details of asylum applications and appeal decisions again contrasts with the frequent leaking to the media by Garda sources of damaging descriptions of asylum-seekers. For example, the Evening Herald of May 23rd, quoting Garda sources, reported that "sinister Taliban rebels" were involved in organising the recent Afghan hunger-strike in Dublin - an accusation quoted by Pat Kenny on his radio show.
To the best of my knowledge, neither Mr Aylward nor his Minister, Michael McDowell, have ever condemned the frequent and very tendentious use in the media of Garda sources in regard to asylum issues.
We hear regularly from the Department of Justice and the UNHCR how excellent and fair our asylum system is. This praise is given to a system that allows individual immigration officers at points of entry to our country to make final determinations of the rights of refugee applicants to even apply for asylum in Ireland. Repeated requests by the Irish Refugee Council to have this system monitored have been refused.
In addition, there are disturbing examples of refugee status being denied in extreme cases of trauma and ill-health where medical and psychological practitioners have strongly recommended such status.
The UNHCR's own guidelines on the "Continued International Protection Needs of Individuals from Kosovo" are being flouted. Asylum-seekers, belonging to categories highlighted by the UNHCR as needing ongoing protection, face deportation from Ireland.
Mr Aylward has been very blunt and confrontational in his description of the alleged failings of most asylum-seekers. It would be very welcome if he were to be equally blunt and confrontational about the serious failings of our present asylum system. - Yours, etc,
VALERIE HUGHES, Cabra, Dublin 7.