The Government was accused yesterday of reaching a "shameful new low" in its attempt to remove issues concerning refugees and asylum-seekers from the social partnership process.
The Irish Refugee Council, which was represented at the social partnership talks, is pressing for the deletion of part of a controversial clause dealing with refugees and asylum-seekers.
Other groups also objected to the proposal that, in effect, asylum-seeker and refugee protection were matters solely for Government and not the social partners.
The Government had proposed inserting the clause in a section of the proposed new partnership plan dealing with "migration and inter-culturalism". It reads: "The issues of asylum and refugee protection are complex and present great challenges at national, European and international levels.
"Central to the Government's policy in this area is the need to ensure that the integrity of the asylum process is not undermined and that refugees receive protection as quickly as possible and are integrated into Irish society.
"While the Government will continue to consider the views of all interested parties as part of the overall democratic process, it is considered that this area of government of its nature is not appropriate to be managed within the context of this Social Partnership framework."
Representatives of the trade union and community and voluntary sectors were among those who raised concerns about the proposal, with some proposing that the final part of the last sentence be deleted.
This was one of the outstanding issues to be addressed when the talks formally concluded at the weekend.
A Government spokesman declined to say last night whether the section would be amended in the final text. "There are a number of issues outstanding in relation to the talks and it would be inappropriate to comment on any particular aspect in advance of them being competed," he said.
Mr Peter O'Mahony, Irish Refugee Council chief executive, claimed the proposed wording had taken "the level of State transparency on these issues to a shameful new low".
It also followed a "worrying pattern", he said. "The Refugee Advisory Board with social partner representation has still not been established, seven years after the commitment was first made in the Refugee Act of 1996."
