Madam, - Garret FitzGerald spoils his broad-ranging discussion of migration (Opinion & Analysis, January 12th) with the suggestion that people came to Ireland to seek asylum in the 1990s because of "the inadequacy of our immigration controls" at the time.
With his breadth of knowledge and experience, he will be aware that the right to apply for protection from persecution in another country is one of the most fundamental human rights enshrined in international law since the end of the second World War.
The vast majority of people who are forced to flee their countries are accommodated in developing countries. Unfortunately, Ireland and other countries are making it more difficult to claim this basic right here by controls on air and sea carriers and by turning people away at the ports.
Instead of seeing asylum-seekers and refugees as a problem, we should celebrate their contribution to Irish society and economy, and work to make the decision-making process fairer and faster. - Yours, etc,
ROBIN HANAN, Irish Refugee Council, Capel Street, Dublin 1.