03 July 2017 - The Irish Refugee Council today released a policy paper to inform the Government’s response to the Supreme Court decision which found that the indefinite prohibition on the right to work for people in the asylum system is unconstitutional.

Nick Henderson, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council said,

“We strongly recommend that people are given access to the labour market if they have been waiting for six months for a decision on their protection application. No restrictions should be applied and people should be free to work in any sector or profession and be self-employed. The right should apply to new applicants and also to people to whom the transitional provisions of the International Protection Act 2015 apply. Permission should immediately commence at six months and not be subject to a further application process.”

“Against a backdrop of delays in decision making at first instance in Ireland, the importance of granting the right to work has become even more acute. We understand that a person who applied for asylum today may not be interviewed for approximately 18 months. This is unacceptable and contrary to the narrative that decision making is speeding up. Refugee status determination is a critically important function of the State and the International Protection Office should be fully resourced and supported as a matter of priority.”

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Contact

Caroline Reid, 0858585510

Notes

IRC POLICY PAPER: THE RIGHT TO WORK FOR INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION APPLICANTS

Research Reports of note:

Counting the Cost: Barriers to employment after Direct Provision

Transition from Direct Provision to Life in the Community