Cabinet grants approval for 500 Afghan citizens to get refugee status in Ireland

There is a ‘real range of talents’ coming into the country among the refugees, according to Roderic O’Gorman

‘It was also a big announcement for Roderic O’Gorman, the Minister for Children, right, in particular because taking a more humane approach to the asylum system was a big promise for the Green Party in the general election.’ Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has led to the biggest single Irish refugee programme since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war.

The cabinet has granted approval for 500 Afghan citizens to get refugee status here, on top of 660 permits for Afghan citizens that have already been issued this year.

It is a significant achievement for the settled Afghan community of 1,200 people here, who have been active in highlighting and protesting about the ...