Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I reject out of hand the Deputy's hypothesis relating to our migration situation in this country. The reason we have seen a very significant increase in people coming, not just to Ireland but right across the European Union is multifold. None of them have anything to do with the name of the Minister for Justice of any country. That is very clear. Anybody with any understanding of migration patterns across the European Union, Ireland, the war in Ukraine and the likes, would very quickly arrive at that conclusion, but that does not make for a good social media video.

The Minister has taken a number of actions that have very significantly improved our migration system in real time. We have had to improve it in real time, because we have gone from a relatively small number of people – a few thousand every year – to a much larger number, coupled on top of that with the Ukrainian humanitarian response. The Deputy can look at the work that has been done on processing times. We know that faster processing times are the most effective way of making sure we can provide certainty to those who have a right to be here, because migration is, by the way, a good thing, and integrate them into the community.

However, it also allows us to tell those who do not have a right to be here that they do not have that right and need to leave. Faster processing times is the key to making progress the world over.

The Minister has also made decisions in respect of the designation of countries as safe countries. A significant decision was made by her in recent days around the country from which the highest proportion of people are coming. They are going on a fast acceleration list for processing. That country happens to be Nigeria currently and I have no doubt that over the coming months, there will be significant progress. A total of 100 gardaí who were doing desk jobs relating to immigration will be freed up and put on the front line, working with the PSNI and also working on issues such as deportations. That will make a real difference.

We live on an island that has an open border. Every party in this House values that and agrees with the approach, as do the overwhelming majority of people in the country. It is important for peace and prosperity, and is absolutely something we all cherish and guard. That does mean we do not count the number of people who come over the Border on an hourly or daily basis, or ever. That is not the same thing as suggesting we do not see trends that appear in the International Protection Office and it is a responsible Minister, doing the job well, who decides to have an informed debate on migration and to put that information into the public domain. Anything less would have been irresponsible because instead of people just asking repeatedly, "What about the airport?", which was the mantra in this House for a few months, we now realise it is not just about the airport, passport checks and gardaí at the feet of aeroplanes, although all of that has happened; it is also about asking how we can work more closely with the PSNI and the Garda and how we can work more closely on the common travel area with the UK, which we both value. The common travel area has been there for a long time. How do we work together in that regard?

We have seen a significant increase in deportations. In fact, 173 people had departed the State under various mechanisms by 26 April. Biometric processing is done for everybody who comes to our International Protection Office. In respect of the United Kingdom, all we are looking to do is to clarify our own laws to enforce an agreement that is already in place. I am proud to lead a Government that honours its agreements and I expect our nearest neighbours will do the same.

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