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

It is important to be clear that we are not proposing to detain people. While we will have a border procedure and people coming through that procedure will be in specific accommodation, they will not be detained. We will not have fences or people in a prison-type facility. That is not what we are proposing here and I do not think it is what we should ever propose. However, we have structure and a system that works. If we do not have a system that can process people quickly, get through applications quickly and quickly identify who needs our help, it is much harder to get to those who genuinely do. It is the case that people will seek to come to Ireland or the rest of the EU for economic reasons, which is why it is really important we have separate routes and separate mechanisms for them to do that. There are separate conversations that are happening but very much in parallel with this. This is about those seeking asylum. If you have a system that does not protect those seeking asylum, we are not fulfilling our obligations. The pact itself does not erode people's rights and ability to apply for asylum. It just makes sure we can do it in a more efficient and effective way that benefits those who are genuine.

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