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

While the Deputy is not talking about judges, I will not tell him that I have allocated 30 additional judges in the past year and a half and there will be 20 more in the second round of the judicial planning working group.

This is something we need to do, irrespective of the pact. We have gone from 3,000 applications per year on average to 13,200 plus last year and we will most likely surpass that this year. Therefore, if we do not apply these timelines, the system will become unmanageable and those who genuinely need help will not benefit from it. Those who genuinely need help could be at the end of the queue and not have their applications processed ahead of those who are economic migrants. Having a more efficient system actually benefits people who genuinely need protection because we can get to them more quickly. It does not mean we are removing the fair procedure here or that people are in any way prevented from making their case; they are not. Even if they come without documents or with false documents while there might be a judicial process in the early stages, they would still be entitled to apply for asylum, if that is what they are entitled to. If people arrive from countries we deem safe, they still have a right to apply in Ireland so that is not being taken away from them. It does not mean that just because the process is shorter, their rights are not being protected here. The legislation will set out very clearly the processes and procedures. The appeals process, which is not set out in the pact, will be decided by us in terms of the timelines and what they will look like.

In terms of how the migration pact changes things, it does not. We have to apply the legislation and we have to invest, which we are doing already. This year alone, €34 million has been allocated to improve our systems. If we do not opt-in to the migrant pact, we will not have access to the significant funding that will be available to us to help us to increase the staff numbers, improve our online systems and make sure we have an efficient system. I use the word "efficient" because if it is not efficient, it will become clogged up and it will not benefit those who genuinely need it. We have seen what has happened in the past where people were waiting for four years where they were not able to work, get on with their lives and move out of accommodation. That does not benefit the person who is genuinely in need of protection. The investment will be a requirement we will have to commit to. I am absolutely committed to that and I think most people are.