An FOI document seen by Gript Media has revealed that efforts to reduce the number of asylum applications from Georgia resulted in the arrest of a number of what the Department of Justice referred to as ‘so-called “travel agents” selling packages for Georgians wishing to travel to Ireland to claim asylum.’
The FOI does not confirm the precise number of such agents or whether they have been charged or prosecuted. It also does not reveal the costs associated with the purchase of such packages by Georgian nationals.
The revelations formed part of a response from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to a review undertaken by the Department of Justice (DOJ) of countries considered safe for the purposes of applications under the International Protection Act 2015.
The FOI document reveals that the Department of Foreign Affairs was consulted for its observations on the existing safe countries list as well as for its observations on an additional four countries being considered for addition. These comprised Algeria, Botswana, Nigeria and Pakistan.
Ultimately only Algeria and Botswana were added to the Safe Country List. With respect to Algeria, the DFA observed Algeria is designated as a safe country of origin by nine EU Member States namely Austria, Croatia.
Interestingly, additional observations were redacted under section 33 (1)(d) of the FOI Act.
Section 33 (1) (d) allows for an FOI body such as the department to refuse to grant access to a record if access could reasonably be expected to affect adversely the international relations of the State. An FOI body relying on section 33(1)(d) for its refusal to grant access to a record must satisfy the Information Commissioner that such a harm – harm to the international relations of the State – could reasonably be expected to occur as a result of disclosure of the record concerned.
With respect to Botswana, the DFA observed that while it faces its own issues, like many countries in the region, “these would mostly not rise to the level of requiring international protection. There have been recent improvements in the human rights situation including the legalisation of same-sex relationships in 2021 and overall the political situation is stable.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs in its observations on Georgia noted that an increasing number of asylum claims have been made by Georgian citizens in Ireland in recent years and that this reached its highest level in 2022, at 2,710 claims.
The DFA says this was the highest number of applications by nationality, despite Georgia being designated a ‘safe country of origin’.
In response to this Ireland raised the issue at both political and official level in a number of bilateral meetings since the second half of 2022.
The DFA says that “the Georgian side has committed to work with the Irish authorities to address the issue. This has included the appointment of a Police Attaché at the Georgian Embassy in Dublin, and the arrest of a number of so-called “travel agents” selling packages for Georgians wishing to travel to Ireland to claim asylum.”
The DFA goes on to note that “in parallel with efforts to address irregular migration, the Georgian Embassy has been engaging with the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment on expanding possibilities for Georgians to apply for work permits in Ireland.”
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We’re all going on an…. asylum holiday… no more working for year or two…. hahahahaha… you could not make this crap up, you really could not and simple simon is the leader… hahahahaha… Jaysus paddy is very generous indeed, fueling the new tourism and paying for the accommodation and food too… and everything else.
its getting crazy as each day that goes bye i dred to think what else is gonna come out
Deport ALL of them.
airplanes operators ñeed to lose their landing spots for bringing them in or is there a private deal with fg/ff/g? anybody got inside info like to share 😀💚
There is no direct flight afaik
Publicize this widely — it’ll help drive home to people that the whole mess is just a racket, a corrupt business, little better than organized crime at this point, with taxpayers are the ultimate revenue source.
must be a ff or fg person involved in this money racket,their is an fg Murphy ex minister from north cork working for Fritz party Hungarian in Brussels , he was getting garda to drive him to Dublin a few years ago like private chauffeur he got caught out , crazy stuff but paddy keeps electing them,wonder if Guinness is been fiddled with 😠
Let no so called ‘asylum seeker’ even enter this country. Do not let them off the plane.
asylum dealers 🤔ff/fg/g
This is just a fecking joke that our gutless political and media class are forcing on us and making us pay for. Sick.
Can we expect the brightest and best from Georgia when they can go the legal way by applying for skilled jobs?
teachers doctors council workers ff/fg/g airplanes workers refugees accommodation workers NGO’s are supporting ethnic cleansing of Ireland simple as
Shows how weak Ireland is considered internationally, contrary to what Harris etc thinks whilst they’re standing behind EU “heavys.”
How can they claim asylum? They are a safe land! Such claims must have an immediate rejection! This government is unelectable.
This asylum madness is all a criminal racket. Deport them all. They are giving free legal aid to those who have deportation orders, to fight their deportation. More mafia type tactics because they never wanted to deport them in the first place. We must remind the anti-immigration election candidates, that the free legal aid scheme for those fighting deportation orders must be cut off immediately. Their free housing and all benefits must go too, with a deportation order. Michelle Keane who organised this morning’s protest, is running for a Kerry coco local government seat. Another very strong candidate added to the anti-immigration ticket. Badly needed. We are being replaced. I wonder if they are getting backhanders to put the bogus in the housing that should go to the Irish and then create a savage housing crisis for the Irish. The country is at its worst yet since independence. The whole country is up in arms against this government’s plantation racket, everywhere.
Bring back the punt.