|
Refugee Documentation Centre Services
Query and Research Service
Users
The RDC provides a query and research service for the Refugee Legal Service and Legal Aid Board, Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, Refugee Appeals Tribunal, Ministerial Decision Unit and other agencies of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Solicitors and barristers on the RLS panel may also use the service. This service is not available to members of the public.
Make a request
If you are a requester, please submit your information requests on the RDC Query Form. The minimum notice required by the RDC for an information request is 5 days. Please send in the query form either by email, fax or by post.
Information on the query form can not be made publicly available. The RDC publishes responses to only after confidential information has been removed.
Collections
Research sources used include an in-house collections, Internet sources, subscription databases and national and international contacts. Responses include a referenced list of sources used. The RDC supplies most research responses by email.
Library Service
The library houses a collection of books, reports, news reports and journals on a number of relevant subject areas including asylum, immigration, law, politics, anthropology and country of origin information. Reference works are also available. If you are entitled to avail of the query and research service, you may also borrow materials from the library once you have registered with the RDC library service. You may borrow a maximum of 3 items for up to one month. This is renewable if the items are not required by another borrower. You may not borrow Journals/Serials but it is possible to photocopy articles subject to copyright regulations. Please contact the RDC for further details.
If you are a member of the public you are welcome to visit the RDC Library by appointment as a research library in order to conduct your own research. However, you may not borrow materials.
Country of Origin Information – Training
The RDC provides short training courses on COI research to our client base. The training is based on a common training approach developed with other COI information providers in Europe. The RDC provides training both onsite or on organisations’ own sites. Training courses are based on a modular format. Modules include:
- Role and Standards of COI- The Role of COI in Refugee Status Determination
- Relevance of COI- Identifying Legally Relevant Country of Origin Information
- Reliability and Balance- Knowledge and Assessment of Sources
- Accuracy and Currency- Research Skills and Strategy
- Presentation and Documentation of Research Results
- (Optional module) Refugee Law and Complementary Protection
| 
