Among the most popular myths associated with asylum-seekers are claims that they are 'all here illegally', that 'Ireland is taking in more than any other EU country' and that 'they aren't garda vetted'.
An asylum-seeker is a person who has made an application to be a refugee. A refugee is someone who has had to leave their country of origin because of 'a well-founded fear of persecution because of reasons including their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion'. Ireland is a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which obliges the State to provide protection to people fleeing their country for the reasons above. Refugees are entitled to apply for 'family reunification' to bring their immediate family members (within certain criteria) to Ireland. A total of 13,227 people sought international protection in the State last year, figures show, down by 400 on the previous year.
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