Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My third question concerns the changes in the regulation dealing with asylum applications. By how much has the number of asylum applications gone up, excluding the Greek applications? I think the figure given in the opening statement included the Greek applications. Will the delegates outline the main countries from which asylum seekers arrive at Irish ports or airports? Will they enlarge on the reforms and how we process applications? Are we processing them more efficiently? I accept the point about emergency applications and piling resources into the service, as necessary, but it seems strange that something can be done for one person in a couple of months, while another has to wait 18 months. Is it just a question of resources? Has something else changed? How can somebody who is deemed to be in one category of applicant have to wait so much longer than an applicant in another? That does not seem to be explicable in any other way than by reference to resources.

What is the position on access to the labour market under the new revised scheme and how does it compare with that in other EU countries? What has changed for asylum seekers in the context of the opt-in to the directive on reception conditions?