3 year Backlogs In Processing Of Immigration Claims Inhumane

Aontú Leader & Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín has decried the current immigration system which has left vulnerable applicants in constant limbo and uncertainty with no access to supports whilst their claim is being processed.

I submitted a parliamentary question to the Minister for Justice & Equality on the matter of reviews of residents exercising family members’ rights. The Minister replied that there were cases from May of 2017 still under review, and that 76% of applications are waiting over a year for a decision. That means of the 2’283 cases at the EU Treaty Rights review stage, 1’751 are waiting over a year for a review decision to be made. The Minister also stated that due to Covid-19 the reviews have been significantly disrupted. I have been working with a number of people in this situation. It is an extremely unfair situation to leave people in who cannot work and who have no financial or economic supports.

This is happening purely and simply due to the lack of resources assigned to the processing of the reviews. On a humane level its completely unfair to leave people in such limbo. We are used to seeing inordinate and inhumane delays facing applicants in the Direct Provision system but it is happening in other areas of the immigration system. Timely reviews and decisions are what’s needed and I am calling on the new Minister for Justice to make this happen.

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.