ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cork - 23 October 2021
1. Various of Afghan asylum seeker Waheed Talwar reading book in his room at Drishane Castle Direct Provision centre (Direct Provision are centres for asylum seekers and refugees in Ireland)
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Waheed Talwar, 24, Afghan asylum seeker in Ireland and pizza shop owner:
"I'm still waiting for my interview, I filled up my questionnaire, I've sent it out. And the next process is to wait for your interview, which I'm still waiting for."
3. Various of Talwar walking around Drishane castle Direct Provision centre
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Waheed Talwar, Afghan asylum seeker in Ireland:
"I have... because the situation in Afghanistan is very bad, so I went to my solicitors to find out if there's any news from the international protection office. And they said they have been informed by the international protection office that they will be (expediting) all the Afghan asylum seekers' outstanding cases. So that's the good news for us."
5. Various of Waheed talking to his friends
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Waheed Talwar, Afghan asylum seeker in Ireland:
"It's a good step in the right direction. But hopefully, everybody takes responsibility and helps as much as they can. But people are very happy with the Irish contribution to the 200 families that they're bringing in. A lot of people that I know were looking forward to their families joining them."
7. Various of Talwar opening his shop
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Waheed Talwar, Afghan asylum seeker in Ireland:
"This is confusing because they're in a shock. And we're very worried about them. So it's very confusing at the moment, you don't know what to do, there's not much you can do. It is basically a helpless situation because I haven't had my interview. So I can't do anything about it because I can't apply for family reunification or I can't apply for a visa for them because I haven't had my own interview. I don't have documents myself so there is not much I can do about it."
9. Various of Talwar taking delivery order by phone
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Waheed Talwar, Afghan asylum seeker in Ireland:
"I have been welcomed by the (inaudible) community, I have been helped. I've received a lot of support. Once I got my work permit, this shop was up for rent. So I contacted the agency, the letting agency, and the lady was very helpful and supportive. So she put me in contact with the landlord. And the landlord is a very good man as well. He's very supportive. And he made it very easy for me to start working. I didn't have much money to start as well but the landlord said don't worry. Once I get going, then I can pay him slowly. So he has been very helpful. There's a lot of support from neighbours. So I've been welcomed very fondly here."
11. Various of Talwar working in his shop
LEAD IN:
An Afghan asylum seeker in Ireland says he has been warmly welcomed in the country.
He hopes to be granted refugee status to apply for family reunification and get to see his family members.
STORY-LINE:
Afghan asylum seeker Waheed Talwar has not seen his family since he became an asylum seeker in Ireland in January 2019.
The father of two currently lives in the Drishane Castle Direct Provision centre for asylum seekers and refugees.
Talwar set up a pizza shop after the Irish government gave him permission to work, six months after he sought asylum.
The 24-year-old says he has been warmly welcomed in the country but it he is worried about his family back home.
His family moved to Kabul prior to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in mid-August.
Talwar hopes the asylum procedures will move fast so that he can be reunited with his family.
"I can't do anything about it because I can't apply for family reunification or I can't apply for a visa for them because I haven't had my own interview," he says.
The Irish Department of Justice said that from June 2021 asylum seekers who hold Afghan nationality are on a priority list.
A total of 70 applicants from Afghanistan sought asylum in Ireland as of June 30.
The Irish government announced that they are set to receive 200 Afghan refugees.
According to Irish media outlet the Journal, the first group of Afghan refugees to be accepted into Ireland have arrived in the country on August 23.
From January 2017 until the end of June 2021 there were 421 asylum applicants from Afghanistan in Ireland.
