Mr. Michael Kirrane:

We are happy to take on board the view of the committee in that regard and feed it into our review and back to the evaluation committee. A balance must be struck. I entirely accept what members have said about the need for transparency. I have no desire to operate a scheme which creates a difficulty for the immigration system or which calls its integrity in question. That is not our function.

Deputy Colm Brophy asked about asylum application numbers. I will ask my colleague, Mr. Costello, to provide more detail of increases in the numbers of asylum applications and the countries from which applicants come.