Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their contributions. With regard to a point made by the previous speaker, my understanding is that this is the third, if not fourth, debate on migration, specifically immigration and the pact, I have attended in the House in as many months. We had a three-hour debate in the committee last week and it is open to any Deputy at any time to raise the matter as a Topical Issue, in a Private Members' motion or at the Business Committee. The pact has been discussed at European level for eight years and nearly every aspect of it has been available for people to engage with. With regard to any suggestion that this matter has been rushed, there has been no debate on it or the Government has refused to debate it, I have come to the House every time I have been asked to debate it. As I said, this is the third or fourth debate on it in recent months.

I also want to state a really important fact. Migration is good for this country. It is has always been really positive for this country. As a people who have travelled to the four corners of the earth to seek solace and in search of a better life, we know how important it is to be welcoming and to support people. We, as a people, have always been welcoming to those who seek asylum and help. Some 20% of people who live here were not born here. Just under 500,000 people in our workforce were not born here. It is not just that their culture and traditions enrich our society, but they also pay taxes and ensure our schools, hospitals and building sites operate. So much of the commentary we hear in this House feeds into the hatred, division and blatant racism we see right across the country at the moment. As for attacks on gardaí, a Deputy who is now leaving the House referred to our gardaí as "gangs". That is completely unacceptable behaviour. We all need to understand the responsibility we in this House have when we talk about people and the huge contribution so many of them make and will make to this country.

The Minister of State, Deputy Browne, has given a comprehensive overview of the measures I propose we opt in to and the benefits of working together at a European level. European countries will be working together to implement a new, enhanced and better system than the one we have now. There is nothing in this pact that does not benefit Ireland. I am absolutely steadfast in that view. From faster processing and appeals, enhanced data-sharing, new rules and responsibilities and a greater emphasis on returns, the pact will address the key inefficiencies that are in our system. We have a system that does not work as it should because it was built for far fewer people.

The benefits have been outlined clearly today but I also think we need to be frank and talk about the risks of not opting in and of staying outside the EU-wide system that has been developed over many years of negotiations, with us. Ireland has been around the table and has been part of these negotiations for eight years. Nothing has been forced on us. If we do not work together with our EU partners inside the pact, we will be a more attractive destination to those who seek solace and protection. Numbers would most certainly increase and we would be prevented from accessing solidarity and burden-sharing mechanisms. Our ability to send people back to wherever they came from would also be severely limited. The structure we have does not work, which is why we want to improve it. If we are not part of the improved system, how do we think other countries will take people back? This would mean more people in the reception system for longer periods of time, at a much greater cost. It is essential that we have a firm and fair system. What do we mean by that? We need a fair system for those who genuinely need protection and our help and who are fleeing starvation, persecution and war, but one that is firm to those who do not. Economic migrants who should be coming here by a different route should get a negative decision and leave immediately.

I have introduced a number of measures to make our immigration system fair so we can get to the stage that when we opt in to the pact we are ready for it. That includes increased resourcing for the International Protection Office. That has resulted in a more than doubling of the number of staff in two years alone. We processed 4,404 people in 2021. We were able to 8,409 people in 2023 and we will reach and, I have no doubt, exceed our target of processing 14,000 applications this year. We have supplied the International Protection Office with €34 million in funding this year alone to help increase those numbers and invest in technology. The quicker we invest in technology, the more we will move applications online and the easier we will process them.

The introduction of accelerated processing for safe third countries in November 2022 resulted in the number of applications from those designated countries dropping by 50%. What we mean by "safe countries" are countries where people are coming from where we deem there is not a risk and therefore people should not generally be seeking protection. The accelerated process means their applications are heard much more quickly. Again, the less time people spend in accommodation, the more it benefits everyone. The further expansion of accelerated processing with the designation of two further countries took place earlier in 2024. Just last week, I included the country which has the highest number of applications in accelerated processing. Currently, that country is Nigeria but if that changes, the country will change also.

Steps have also been taken to reduce the numbers of people arriving without documents and because of those changes - checks of planes, airline fines and training of staff - we have seen a 34% reduction of people arriving at our airports with false documents or getting rid of their documents after they have travelled. We continue to review the level of fines for airline carriers which bring people without documentation or with false documentation. Operations continue to run in Dublin Airport with a view to swiftly identifying irregular arrivals into Ireland.

We continue to train airline staff and have introduced visas in a number of additional countries, with further countries under review. I and my Department will leave no stone unturned in making sure that we have the most effective immigration system Ireland. I firmly believe that a key part of that is our joining our EU counterparts in implementing the migration and asylum pact.

The 2015 International Protection Act, which is the current law that governs our international protection system, was enacted at a time when, as I said, we had fewer people coming here, that is, 3,500 applicants a year, whereas last year we had 13,000 people applying for international protection. We are scaling up as quickly as possible. It is not realistic to present this as an issue which will simply disappear if we choose not to engage with it or, indeed, not to opt in to the pact.

We must recognise that the challenges presented by migration and asylum exist. They are not going away. They cannot be wished away. They have to be addressed. They cannot be addressed in a globalised world by any state acting alone. That is why we need to move without further delay. In order for Ireland to effectively align its law and systems with other member states by 2026, a decision on opting in has to be taken now. Such a decision would send a very clear message to our fellow member states and the European Commission that Ireland is committed to working in harmony and solidarity with them on migration. More importantly, it would ensure that we can avail of the necessary supports to implement the changes and the necessary financial supports required to comply with the pact. This will include a substantial EU implementation budget which will be distributed by the Commission.

There are those who would like to suggest that the pact involves some unlawful or undemocratic transfer of sovereignty. There is no basis for this in reality. It represents an attempt by some to cast doubt on the legitimacy of Ireland's participation in EU measures. Let me bust a few myths. It sounds like Deputies opposite, in particular, want to take back control. They have spoken of closed borders which, as we all know, is pretty ironic given the current situation. As we all know, taking back control in the UK has meant a higher level of migration and international protection applications.

We cannot do this on our own. We need co-operation. We need other countries to be willing to accept people who should not be processed here. That does not mean that the EU will make decisions for us. Rather, this pact offers us in Europe a real opportunity to work together to design a system that is firm but fair, makes sure there is a fair sharing of responsibilities and works for everyone. We cannot do this alone.

Those who have gone it alone have tried and failed. The pact updates an existing common European asylum system, in which we already participate. For those who have said we can go it alone and make our own rules, I advise them that we have already signed into many different asylum measures at a European level. This pact is simply about updating and improving them. Why would we not continue to improve our systems and align with the EU? That does not make sense.

The EU has competence in the area of asylum and migration under the Lisbon treaty, which was endorsed by the people in a referendum on the twenty-eighth amendment of the Constitution. What we sought and agreed as part of that referendum was that for any measure of migration, we would have the choice to opt in. Even though we voted on the Lisbon treaty, we still have the choice to opt in to these measures. These measures have to be agreed by both Houses, which is exactly what we are talking about here. Votes in this House and the Seanad are required.

There has also been a suggestion that there has been insufficient debate. That is not correct. For those who suggest opting in to just some of the measures, my advice is that the pact provides a comprehensive approach to the challenges. To use an analogy, if what we need is a vehicle to move us forward, why would we buy just a clutch and handbrake and leave behind the engine, the steering wheel and the rest of the car? That makes absolutely no sense.

I will respond to some of the questions and queries that have been raised. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae referred to Denmark. We are not the same as Denmark. Denmark does not have an opt-in; rather, it has an opt-out in respect of certain measures. It is part of Schengen and is not moving away from any of the Schengen measures. Denmark essentially incarcerates people. When people come in, they do not have a choice of where to go or to leave. We are not talking about having such a system here. We have a very different system and structure.

On the figure of 80%, this is based on the clear evidence and information my team has given me. We know how many people have come here through the airports and ports. We know how many people turn up at the office. We are talking about how we verify evidence or information in cases where someone claims asylum and says they have come across the Border. We ask people where they have come from, and they tell us. If they do not have a bus or plane ticket, we cannot verify their story, but we know the information that is being provided to our teams.

Similarly, if someone says they have come directly from Nigeria, there are no direct flights from Nigeria. We cannot confirm or deny that. People have to look at the information they have. People are interviewing these applicants and know where they come from. They are able to give me that information and that is where the figures come from. I stand over that. There are many other questions, on which I would be happy to respond to Deputies individually.

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