[Article] Asylum seekers told they can't form FF cumann

Victor

Well I suppose this is 50 votes lost to FF. They really could have managed it a bit better.

http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/national/3276559?view=Eircomnet

Asylum seekers told they can't form FF cumann
From:The Irish Independent
Thursday, 27th May, 2004

ASYLUM seekers in the former holiday camp in Mosney have been refused permission to establish their own Fianna Fail cumann because they are not Irish citizens.

A group of non-nationals approached local party members in February, saying they wanted to become politically active and had decided the government party was the best one to join.

However, they have been left in limbo since then, despite more than 50 of the residents wanting to become Fianna Fail members of a Mosney cumann.

There are around 600 asylum seekers in the Co Meath camp, and a majority of them have registered to vote in the local elections.

Fidelis Akhigbe, a Nigerian asylum seeker, told the Irish Independent he had felt Fianna Fail was the right choice because the party had the "best interests of the common people at heart".

As far as Mr Akhigbe is concerned, he is still waiting for the go-ahead from party headquarters to formally establish the cumann.

But a Fianna Fail spokeswoman said yesterday that under the rules of the party the group could not join because their residency status was not yet officially decided.

"The majority of these people residing in Mosney are waiting to hear from the Department of Justice on their residential status. They are asylum seekers and their future has not yet been decided. Therefore they can't be members of Fianna Fail under the rules of the party."

However, local councillor Hugh Gough said he believed the matter was still to come before the party's national executive. He acknowledged there had been a long delay.

"I suppose they want a friend at court. They felt Fianna Fail was the best party to represent their interests. I suppose they feel left out or lost - their only contact is the Department of Justice," explained Mr Gough.

He said a meeting had already been held in Mosney, chaired by him, which was attended by around 50 people.

"It was a good meeting, very animated and good-natured. We elected officers.

Their concerns are similar to everyone else's. I dealt with a problem they had up there with lighting needed on a big dark road going up to the centre," he explained.

It is understood the decision on whether to approve the establishment of a Mosney cumann never got as far as the party's ruling national executive, but only reached the Meath Comhairle Dail Ceanntair, the party's constituency organisation, before being stalled.

The Fianna Fail rule book says membership is open to "persons of Irish birth, parentage, grand-parentage, or residents".

However, Labour and Fine Gael say anyone can become a member. The PDs were embarrassed recently when it was found they refused to accept non-EU citizens as members.

But the party's constitution has since been changed. A spokesman said any "ordinary resident" could join, including asylum seekers.

Alison O'Connor Political Correspondent

arcadegame2004

What's the point in people who are going to be deported getting involved in local politics?

Victor

Originally posted by arcadegame2004
What's the point in people who are going to be deported getting involved in local politics?

Surely you mean might be deported

arcadegame2004

The Dublin Convention 1981 makes it virtually impossible that any of them can be legal migrants. For that reason I don't feel we should act like they are legitimate citizens of Ireland with all the rights that entails.

Raskolnikov

Keep de darkies outta power, g'wan de Feena Fawl.

Zombrex

Originally posted by arcadegame2004
The Dublin Convention 1981 makes it virtually impossible that any of them can be legal migrants.

They aren't legal migrants, they are asylum seekers. It implies in the article that they can register to vote, if so why can't they participate in the democratic system of our country?

Originally posted by arcadegame2004
For that reason I don't feel we should act like they are legitimate citizens of Ireland with all the rights that entails.

joining Fianna Fail is a right? I would have though it would be more of a punishment

arcadegame2004

They are asylum-seekers. But they are not genuine asylum-seekers.

How can someone who gets on a ferry in Hollyhead or Calais credibly claim to be fleeing persecution?

Zombrex

Originally posted by arcadegame2004
They are asylum-seekers. But they are not genuine asylum-seekers.

How can someone who gets on a ferry in Hollyhead or Calais credibly claim to be fleeing persecution?

I take it you have never been to hollyhead

I agree that asylum-seekers are supposed to claim asylum in the first EU country they enter.

But saying that they are not real asylum seekers, just because they don't is a big jump in logic. Many genuine asylum seekers try to make it to Ireland because they feel they will be simply turned away in other EU contries, even though they are genuine.