Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Ireland

The explosion over the past few years of the number of people seeking asylum in Ireland as a result of the booming Celtic Tiger economy has focused attention for the first time on a wide range of debates: the need for political asylum and Ireland’s international role, how to deal with this new phenomenon domestically, Ireland as a country of immigration as well as emigration, and the adequacy or otherwise of public policy in dealing with the problem.

Refugees and Asylum-Seekers in Ireland looks at the history of immigration and refugees in Ireland in the twentieth-century, and the background to the recent increase in asylum-seekers.

The book looks to the future, assessing political options and considers the implications for the future of Irish society.