The chairman of Trocaire, Bishop John Kirby, has called on the Government to clarify that the proposal to extend work permits to non-EU nationals will include asylum-seekers.
He said that issuing the permits to asylum-seekers while they waited to have their cases decided by the State would be an important first step towards Ireland developing a fair and just policy towards them.
They should also be allowed to study and upgrade their skills while they were waiting - an average of two years - for a decision to be taken on their applications, he added.
"I would have to give a guarded welcome to a decision to allow asylum-seekers to work," Bishop Kirby continued. "I am guarded because it appears that the Government was motivated by economic concerns rather than the humanitarian considerations in taking this U-turn. Asylum-seekers should be allowed to work because it is the right thing to do, not just because there is a skills shortage in Ireland."
