This past decade has been one of radical economic and social change in Ireland. At the same time, huge numbers of people around the globe have been confronted with the horrors of ethnic cleansing and a disturbing trend towards intercommunal violence, forcing them to flee for their lives.

While the majority of the world's displaced still receive shelter in the developing world, affluent western countries are now absorbing some of this flow.

It is therefore no surprise that Ireland, too, should become a destination for those seeking safety. For a country which produced so many refugees in the past, making the shift to receiving refugees has proved a challenge.

Yet, in the last two years, with UNHCR's support and guidance, Ireland's asylum system has undergone significant developments. Legislative provision has been made in the form of the Refugee Act. Administrative procedures for the processing of claims are in place and policies on refugee integration are evolving.

While much of this has taken place in an atmosphere of rational debate, recent proposals to disperse asylum-seekers and provide direct assistance to them have provoked a rash of emotional debate.

These policies will have a profound effect on Irish society. However, their success will in large part depend on the ability of all parties to discuss the issues in a reasoned and calm manner, giving due regard to Ireland's international legal obligations and by focusing on the contributions refugees can make to their host society.

Of course influxes of people, no matter how slight, always put pressure on existing resources. The economic boom, the return of many emigrant Irish, and Europeans taking advantage of the opportunity to live and work in other parts of the Union has stretched services, particularly in Dublin, and most notably on accommodation. However, scapegoating asylum-seekers is both dangerous and divisive, not to mention factually incorrect.

Tackling this problem through sharing the numbers of asylum-seekers more equitably throughout Ireland is both logical and fair. The devil, however, will be in the detail.

A successful dispersal policy will hinge on preparing adequately both host communities and asylum-seekers alike. Successful integration in large part depends on the ability of both sides to understand where the other is coming from. It is a truism to say that informed debate will be the key.

Primarily, dispersal must be considered in consultation with local and regional authorities, voluntary groups dealing with refugees, schools, trade unions, churches, police, local authorities and the community at large.

They will all benefit from activities that promote understanding. Cross-party political support, which will have no truck with the xenophobes and racists who may be tempted to make political capital out of the situation, is vital.

The refugees and asylum-seekers must be involved to ascertain their needs. Asylum-seekers, by virtue of what they have been through, often require special support. Children may have missed out on education. Many adults will be disoriented, struggling to come to terms with their experiences. Arriving in an unprepared host community which may feel threatened by the new arrivals only compounds their trauma.

While many of the structures are already in existence to assist asylum-seekers and refugees, particularly in urban areas, they may need to be strengthened to deal with their special needs.

Asylum-seekers need access to legal advice and counselling, interpretation facilities and specialised medical services, particularly for vulnerable groups, such as refugee women and children and victims of torture. If these services are not at hand, the asylum-seekers will drift back to Dublin, where they are more likely to be available.

An effective dispersal policy is as much about common sense. Families must not be split up, including family members who arrive at a later date, and to the greatest extent possible, refugees should be able to go where there is a pre-existing community group.

Telling asylum-seekers where they are going, the type of accommodation into which they will be moving, the services available and how they can be reached and contacts for key services, such as schools, hospitals, NGOs and community groups, will help allay their fears and smooth their move.

In recent weeks it has been mooted that Ireland may follow the lead of some other European countries in direct provision of services for asylum-seekers. UNHCR is firmly committed to the principle of equal access to services by refugees and asylum-seekers. Discrimination - either positive or negative - can further isolate asylum-seekers.

Ireland's asylum policy has made enormous strides in recent years. It now stands poised at a crossroads. Ireland can show moral and political leadership by embracing its international obligations and providing a fair and humane system of protection for refugees and asylum-seekers on its territory.

In the process, it will reap the benefits of diversity and richness that refugees bring to its shores. Alternatively, it can opt for a system that shies away from good international citizenship and in the process spawns a marginalised underclass. The challenge for the next century is to make the right choice.

Ms Hope Hanlan is the UNHCR's representative for the UK and Ireland