Asylum request rejections ‘too high’.

IRELAND’S LOW rate of acceptance of asylum applications largely explains the continuing drop in asylum seekers coming here in recent years, according to advocacy groups.Responding to figures which show asylum applications fell by one-third last year, the Irish Refugee Council and the Spiritan Asylum Service Initiative (Spirasi) called on Minister for Justice Alan Shatter to improve conditions for the 5,400 asylum seekers awaiting decisions.