Fewer sought asylum in June

By Andrew Bushe

DUBLIN — Following the government’s crackdown on bogus asylum seekers, the numbers turning up in the country seeking refugee status has dropped this summer for the first time in a year.

Last August, the numbers arriving virtually doubled to about 1,000 a month. It caused a housing and support services crisis and the government were considering flotels in harbors around the country to accommodate them.

However, the monthly figure fell back to 677 in June. Arrivals so far this year total 5,327 — substantially up on the 1,975 who sought asylum in the first six months of last year.

Nigerians and Romanians remain the largest ethnic groups seeking refugee status.