Non-nationals detained in Cloverhill remand prison in Dublin are being held for an average of between 30 and 50 days, and up to a maximum of 56 days, a delegation of four MEPs who visited the prison heard yesterday.
While some of these are foreign nationals who have committed a crime, 70 per cent are individuals with immigration difficulties or who are awaiting decisions on their applications for asylum.
Some 110 people from outside of Ireland were in custody in Cloverhill's non-nationals unit at the time of yesterday's fact-finding visit by MEPs Proinsias De Rossa, Máiréad McGuinness, Bairbre de Brún and Gay Mitchell.
After the visit, they expressed satisfaction with the "humane" conditions at the prison, which include access to medical treatment and a daily six-minute phonecall anywhere in the world. But several also said they were unhappy with the length of time individuals - who had committed no crime - were being detained.
"Nobody wants to see people who are not criminals in prison here," Ms McGuinness said. "I think 56 days is way too long a period. I think we need to look at that time frame and see can we not shorten it considerably."
Speaking after the visit, which was conducted by Liam Dowling, governor of Cloverhill Prison, Mr De Rossa said he was also unhappy with the fact that family members were being detained separately. They also frequently had to wait to gain access to a family room where they can meet family members.
If a family arrives in Ireland either separately or together, arrangements should be made for them to be detained together, where necessary, he said.
"Our intention was to see whether the facilities being provided here were humane. They clearly are," Mr De Rossa said.
Yesterday's visit forms part of a wider European initiative by the Jesuit Refugee Service to highlight the situation of asylum seekers.
This aims to encourage MEPs around Europe to visit prisons where non-nationals are being detained while awaiting decisions on their applications for asylum. Ultimately, it is hoped that an EU-wide system can be set up to independently monitor the conditions in which non-nationals are held.
According to Eugene Quinn, national co-ordinator of the refugee service, immigrants to Ireland can be detained in prison for a number of reasons. These include where they cannot provide adequate identification, or are in possession of false documentation - something which is freqeuntly the case for asylum seekers fleeing persecution.
While he was happy with what the MEPs had found, he was concerned about the length of detention for detainees. He also expressed concern that detention might have a negative impact on detainees' right to seek asylum.