Cabinet to approve increase in granting of refugee status
The Cabinet is likely to back proposals by the Justice Minister to grant more cases of asylum to refugees.
Ministers are meeting in Cork, currently the European Capital of Culture.
Michael McDowell plans to increase the number of refugees granted asylum from 40 to 200 a year.
The arrangements have yet to be finalised between the Departments of Justice and Foreign Affairs, as well as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
At the same time, the Justice Minister is still clamping down on asylum seekers whose cases are not genuine.
Ireland’s recognition rate for refugee status is well ahead of many of our European counterparts, at 6.2%.
Denmark is just under 5%, while the UK and Germany are around 3% and Spain is 2.6%.
