Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on providing the Refugee Appeals Tribunal with detailed and up-to-date country reports outlining the political and humanitarian situation in those countries from which Ireland is currently receiving asylum seekers. [23513/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Refugee Appeals Tribunal was established under the Refugee Act 1996 to consider and decide appeals against recommendations of the Refugee Applications Commissioner refusing refugee status. Under the Act, the Refugee Appeals Tribunal is independent in the performance of its functions.

I am informed by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal that the members of the Tribunal have received training in the use of country of origin information from both the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Refugee Documentation Centre, which is an independent library and research service within the Legal Aid Board. The members of the Tribunal have access to the Refugee Documentation Centre e-library which maintains a comprehensive collection of diverse, objective and up-to-date country of origin information from a wide variety of international sources.