Mr. Luke Bukha:

On 15 December 2010, a flight was facilitating the deportation of people to Africa and other locations. The flight experienced a technical problem in Greece and had to return to Dublin. That was the first time deportees were returned to the country. On their return there were some complaints, with teenagers not allowed to go to the bathroom; they were given bottles to use. The incident was reported, with our service and the Irish Refugee Council submitting complaints.

That is why we think that if the Ombudsman was covering what happened to this group of people who are deportees and if they were covered in law, these complaints would be subject to independent investigation, which would allow individuals to seek redress or get a fair hearing.

On the Refugee Appeals Tribunal, we hear reports, even from some of the activists with whom we work who write blogs. They try to understand how the members are sent cases. What they say, which is not certain which is why we want the information, is that those with a high rate of refusals get more cases to deal with, while those who accept the cases of asylum seekers get fewer. That is why we are seeking the information. If we knew how members were sent cases, that would clarify the matter and remove the myth of how this body works.