The Minister for Justice has announced an amendment to controversial legislation which required ministerial consent before identifying asylum-seekers in the media.
Until now, under the provisions of the Refugee Act 1996, the identification of asylum-seekers on television, radio or in newspapers was restricted by the Department of Justice, through which written permission had to be attained in order to publish the information. That provision has now been removed.
Contravention of the legislation meant media were liable for fines of up to £1,500 or a maximum of 12 months in prison.
The Government was advised, before it brought in the law last November, that it could be open to constitutional challenge on the basis that it violated the right to freedom of expression, according to a report commissioned by the Department of Justice.
In November the law was condemned by both the National Union of Journalists(NUJ) and the Irish Refugee Council (IRC) as potential censorship. Today the NUJ's Irish Organiser Mr Seamus Dooley said he was glad the Minister had responded so quickly to the situation and that "common sense" had prevailed.
Ms Sarah MacNiece, spokesperson for the IRC told ireland.comthe Council welcomed the amendment of the legislation which was "extremely draconian in that it removed from the asylum-seeker the basic right to freedom of expression".
She said the Council regretted that the legislation had ever been put in place, but added it was "not in the least surprising that the Government has recognised its mistake".
The NUJ said many asylum seekers have fled repression in their countries of origin and prior to today’s amendment faced curbs on freedom of expression here.
The Department of Justice, however, said the measure was used to protect asylum applicants' rights.