2,473 asylum-seekers allowed to stay in State

During 1999 and 2000 permission to remain in the State was given to 2,473 asylum applicants

During 1999 and 2000 permission to remain in the State was given to 2,473 asylum applicants. Of that figure, 86 per cent received permission as the parents of Irish-born children, while a further 8 per cent were allowed stay on the basis of marriage to an Irish national and 6 per cent on the basis of marriage to a national of the European Economic Area (EEA) which includes the EU and a number of other regions such as Iceland.

The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, also told Mr Ivor Callely (FF, Dublin North Central) in a written reply that of decisions made on 5,493 applications in 2000 a total of 2,269 applications were "manifestly unfounded". Of 3,541 appeals completed last year 1,459 appeals were decided as "manifestly unfounded".